2008-10-08

For one Hamas spokesperson, the planned dialogue between Hamas, Fatah, and other competing Palestinian political factions will have to address the fundamental differences in national strategy. Hammad Ar-Raqab, the Hamas spokesperson for Hamas in Khanyunis governorate in the Gaza Strrip said, “The reasons for the current split in the Palestinian arena and it consequences need to be reviewed.

He said, boils down to the conflict between Fatah’s strategy of negotiation and Hamas’ strategy of armed struggle: “resistance and opposition approaches along with the methodology of negotiations and coordination are contradicting programs.”

Any resolution of the Hamas-Fatah split, he said, will require “adherence to law, considering national interest over parties’ special interests and confirming that the Palestinian people’s project is a freedom project.”

Ar-Raqab said that the upcoming dialogue should us the 2007 unity government as a basis: “Respecting the constitution and stopping all previous acts including chaos practiced against national unity government are an agreed on basis that is considered by Palestinians and Arabs.”

Ar-Raqab concluded: “The PLO is not capable of being a representative for Palestinian people in its current miserable situation but if we agree on reforming it democratically it will then be able to return to its position.”

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