Hamas in the Driver’s Seat: Goal is Peace Without Israel
Hamas chief at reconciliation ceremony: Palestinians’ only battle is against Israel
Deal brokered by Egypt officials was threatened by last-minute row over foreign policy of new Palestinian unity government.
The leaders of warring Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas met in Cairo on Wednesday to sign a reconciliation agreement that ends four years of bitter strife.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said at the ceremony that the Islamist group wanted the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on land of the West Bank and Gaza Strip with Jerusalem as its capital.
“Hamas was ready to pay any price for internal Palestinian reconciliation,” Meshaal continued. “The only battle of the Palestinians is against Israel.”
“Our aim is to establish a free and completely sovereign Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, whose capital is Jerusalem, without any settlers and without giving up a single inch of land and without giving up on the right of return (of Palestinian refugees [to swarm into pre-1967 Israel]),” Meshaal said.