DAMASCUS, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Exiled Hamas leader in Syria Khaled Meshaal said here on Thursday that the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, welcomes any meeting with the Fatah movement or other factions in order to strengthen Palestinian national unity and avoid interior conflicts.

    Meshaal made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara, in which the two sides discussed the latest developments on the occupied Palestinian territories.

    He praised in this regard the efforts exerted by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria and other Arab countries, saying they serve the Palestinian people and help to address its internal problems.

    The Palestinian internal strife, started earlier this month, were the most violent between the two factions who share power in the current Palestinian government formed after talks in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca in February.

    In his meeting with Shara, Meshaal said the meeting came in the context of communication and consultation with the Syrian officials on the overall developments in the region, particularly what is happening on the Palestinian arena.

    Replying a question on the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip to Israel, Meshaal said it is "self-defense" in the face of Israeli aggression, in response to the statement of President Mahmoud Abbas that the launch would not lead to any benefit.

    "It is Israel, which is occupying our lands, that kills and attacks the Palestinian people. If the international community brings an end to Israeli aggression, it may then tell the Palestinians to stop launching missiles," he added.

    On the conflicts between Lebanese forces and the radical Fatah al-Islam movement in the Nahr al-Bared camp in north Lebanon, Meshaal called on the Lebanese leaders to deal peacefully with the problem so that casualties do not increase.

    The fighting around the Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon, the worst in Lebanon since the 1975-1990 civil war, killed at least 79 people -- 34 soldiers, 27 militants and 18 civilians, according to media count, and continued sporadically.

    Since the clashes between the Lebanese forces and the Islamic militants began in the Palestinian refugee camp, over 20,000 of the camp's 31,000 had fled their homes.

    "We do not accept that Nahr al-Bared camp is bombarded, nor that the inhabitants of this camp and others are punished. We don't take sides in any conflict and oppose all attacks against the Lebanese soldiers," Meshaal said.