http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD108106
January 31, 2006 No.1081
Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al Presents Hamas Plan on Al-Jazeera TV: "We are
Committed to... the Resistance and Adhere to its Weapons... As for
Recognizing [Israel] and Amending Our Charter - Hamas is Not the Kind of
Movement That Succumbs to Pressure... We Will Not Recognize it, No Matter
how Much Time Passes... We Believe in Acting According to Stages..."
The following are excerpts from an address by Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al at
a press conference that aired January 29, 2006 on Al-Jazeera TV.
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Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al: "Some people believe it is impossible to
combine resistance with politics. As long as we are an occupied people,
resistance is our natural right."
[.]
"I say to the American administration, to the Europeans, and the
international community, which make all these demands, like stopping the
resistance - or stopping 'terrorism,' as they call it - and to disarm. I say
to them: If you have a problem with the factions' weapons, we are prepared
to unite the Palestinian weapons based on Palestinian understandings, and to
form an army, like any other country, even though our country is not yet
independent. We will form an army like all independent countries. We will
conduct reforms within our society, with democracy, pluralism, with
partnership, and clean administration, which are the slogans of
international and Western society, and at the same time, we will have an
army, which will protect our people from aggression and will strive to
recapture Palestinian rights. Other countries have this, so why should the
Palestinians be deprived of this? There is no contradiction between the two.
As for the PLO, as I have said, for some time we have been striving to
rebuild the organization. We will move faster, reach understandings with our
brothers in the PLO. We are all convinced of the need to reform and revive
the PLO, so it can become a Palestinian home for all, and a source of
authority, in and out of [the Palestinian territories]."
[.]
"The Palestinian people has chosen Hamas with its known stances. If America
wants to negotiate with Hamas - it is most welcome, but based on the
positions for which the people chose us. If Europe wants to negotiate with
Hamas - it is most welcome, but based on the choice of the Palestinian
people. However, they must not impose conditions on us. Our internal affairs
must not be subject to extortion and external pressure."
[.]
"The Legislative Council is one of the Oslo Accords' political frameworks,
but the Oslo plan is over. It is no longer effective, and no one follows it
anymore, and I don't think our people will accept the revival of Oslo, after
it has been buried and eulogized by all."
[.]
"We will not accept any formula that undermines some or all of our rights.
In other words, we are committed to the liberation of the land and to
Jerusalem. We will not agree to any kind of disregard [of our right] to
Jerusalem. We are more committed to Jerusalem than Sharon and the enemy
leaders. We are committed to the right of return and to our rejection of the
settlements. We are committed to the resistance and adhere to its weapons.
These are our choices and our fundamental principles, which the Palestinian
people supported even before the elections. In the elections, I believe, the
Palestinian people clearly demonstrated this support, in a democratic
manner. No one should accuse us of being out of line or singing out of tune.
There are internal Palestinian agreements. True, the Palestinian Authority
was founded on the basis of the Oslo Accords. We recognize that this is a
reality, and we will deal with it with the utmost realism, but without
neglecting our fundamental principles and our rights. We will honor any
agreement or commitment, as long as they benefit our people and do not
infringe upon its rights. In other words, we will honor our Palestinian
commitments, provided they serve our people and do not infringe upon its
rights, and we will not accept dictates. This is, very clearly, our
position. We are capable of maintaining this position, despite all the
pressure. As for recognizing [Israel] and amending our charter - Hamas is
not the kind of movement that succumbs to pressure. The occupation has no
legitimacy. We will not recognize it, no matter how much time passes. We
will never recognize the occupation as legitimate, and we will not give up
on our rights. However, we are realistic, and we know things are done
gradually, in stages."
[...]
"America may not recognize a certain country, yet it succumbs to reality.
Today we, the Palestinians, do not recognize the legitimacy of the
occupation, but this does not mean I want to abolish Israel in a matter of
moments. I have a plan of commitment to my land and my rights."
[...]
"Succumbing to the will and pressure of others is unacceptable, but by our
own decision, we can either calm or escalate the situation, depending on
what is required at each stage. But if anyone expects Hamas to agree to take
steps that it would not agree to in the past, I say clearly, brothers and
sisters: We will not withdraw from our fundamental principles, from our
rights and our strategic goals. The map of Palestine, for any Hamas member
and for any Palestinian, is the well-known Palestinian map, just like any
European or American - if you ask him about his country's map, he says to
you: 'My country's map is this and that...' When they bring us someone from
Europe or America who is willing to give up his country's map, and accepts a
distorted map - come back to us then. The Palestinian rights remain intact.
But we believe in acting according to stages, gradually and realistically,
and we have the ability to obtain our rights, step by step. We will
establish our state on any piece of land we liberate, providing we have real
sovereignty over this land, Allah willing."
[...]
"Our presence in the Legislative Council and in the Palestinian political
system will strengthen and protect the resistance, and not harm it. I do not
agree that there is a dispute over the resistance. Resistance, in all
monotheistic religions, and in international laws and conventions, is the
right of any people subject to occupation."
[...]
"If people raise the issue of targeting civilians - we have said and we
continue to say that when our enemy stops targeting civilians, we will make
the same commitment. Ten years ago, we made such an initiative, but Israel
rejected it. That is why we must respond in kind. Resistance will remain a
possible option, which enjoys international consent."
[...]
"There is a difference between regarding the period of calm as divergence
from the resistance - which will never happen - and regarding the period of
calm as one of the tactics of the resistance."
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