GAZA, June 9 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza vowed on Thursday that the group will never lay down its weapons, saying disarmament is "totally illusive."
Sa'ed Seyam told reporters that Hamas' involvement in the Palestinian political life doesn't mean that it will drop its weapons.
"Our participation in the political life is to aid and support the armed wing of the movement and not to dismantle it," Sayam said.
Seyam made the remarks while Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Gaza on Wednesday evening to discuss with Hamas to reinforce the truce that militants agreed to abide by, as a new wave of violence in Gaza threatened the fate of the shaky calmness.
Seyam said that the movement would refer to the Palestinian people to say their honest word through the ballots of the election.
He, meanwhile, accused the ruling Fatah movement and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) for what he described as the status of confusion among the Palestinian people after the legislative election was decided to be postponed.
Abbas had issued early this week a presidential decree, saying that the legislative election due on July 17 was decided to be postponed until a new decree is issued to set up a new date.
if postponing the legislative election has anything to do with the presence of the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, this would never be an excuse because we have been carrying out elections for years, said Seyam.
After his arrival in Gaza on Wednesday, Abbas met with chiefs of police and security apparatuses, said sources at Abbas' office, adding that the current situation and the truce with Israel were deeply discussed.
Abbas would continue his meetings on Thursday and Friday with representatives of Palestinian factions to agree on keeping the truce with Israel and on resolving internal issues, mainly election, revealed the sources. Enditem |