Alwaght- Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has rejected any talks on the status of its armed wing in upcoming reconciliation talks with the Fatah movement.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas movement spokesperson Hazem Qassem reiterated, “the resistance’s weapons are legal. He added that the weapons by Hamas military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades "are here to protect Palestinians and free their lands (from Israeli occupation) -- therefore, this should not be an issue to discuss."
The Hamas spokesperson said that in fact, what should be discussed at talks scheduled to take place in Cairo on Tuesday is the "enhancement" of Hamas' power as an armed resistance movement.
However, Qassem said that all subjects that "obstructing the reconciliation" would be discussed on Tuesday, including the National Consensus Government taking control of the Gaza Strip; later shifting the focus of reconciliation from Gaza to the West Bank; and ultimately holding presidential, legislative, and National Council elections to rule both parts of the occupied territory.
Hamas said on Thursday that the Palestinian National Consensus Government had officially taken over from the movement as the administrative authority in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been under Hamas’ de facto rule since 2007.
Fatah, the leading party of the Palestinian Authority (PA) government in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas have been embroiled in conflict since Hamas' election victory in legislative elections in 2006, sparking a violent conflict between the two movements, with Hamas consolidating its control over the territory a year later.
Since Hamas invited the consensus government to take control of Gaza, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has said he would not be prepared to accept Hamas keeping its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. “I won’t accept the reproduction of the Hezbollah experience in Lebanon” in Gaza, Abbas said in an interview with Egyptian media. Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese government but retains its own army which has played a critical role in repelling attacks by the Israeli regime and fighting Takfiri terrorists in the country.
