Hamas Leader Mohamed Nazzal told the Gazan paper Filistin on Tuesday that Egyptian authorities are not allowing Hamas leaders to leave the Gaza Strip. He also reported that Hamas’ relationship with Egypt was currently experiencing tensions for both “internal” and “external” reasons.
Nazzal said that Egypt had shown hostility towards Hamas on every issue, including the movement of Palestinian officials or Hamas members across the Egypt-Gaza border, which he says Egypt has prevented. These measures, Nazzal argued, are intended to place pressure on Hamas.
“Achieving Palestinian reconciliation has proven elusive,” he went on. ”Those who speak of an end to the state of discord between the Palestinians in the near future are speaking about their dreams and aspirations, not facts and realities.”
According to Nazzal, the joint initiative between Hamas and Arab League chief Amr Moussa failed due to “American interference”. The Americans, Nazzal said, want to see Hamas exit from the political arena whether voluntarily or by force.
The joint initiative, developed during Moussa’s visit to Gaza last month, would have given Fatah and Hamas a chance to formally register their reservations about the Egypt’s recently proposed reconciliation document as a way to bring the two factions closer together.
For his part, Hisham Youssef, Moussa’s chief of staff, stated that the Arab League must continue making efforts to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.
“We don’t care if some say the League’s efforts have not produced results; we won’t stop trying,” Youssef said in response to Nazzal’s remarks. “The Arab League will continue working towards reconciliation in cooperation with the relevant parties.”
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
