MEMRI
Special Dispatch | No. 2428 | July 2, 2009
Palestinians/U.S. & the Middle East
Hamas Political Bureau Head Khaled Mash'al: We Must Combine Resistance with
Diplomacy
In a June 25, 2009 speech, Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash'al
focused mainly on the recent speeches by U.S. President Barack Obama and
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, and on the intra-Palestinian
reconciliation talks. About Obama, Mash'al said that the U.S. had changed
its tone vis-à-vis the Middle East, but that the change must be expressed in
deeds, not words. Responding to Netanyahu's speech, Mash'al rejected the
conditions set by the Israeli prime minister, adding that the Palestinians
must be wary of the danger of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. He
clarified that his movement had agreed to the establishment of a Palestinian
state within the June 4, 1967 borders, but that it insisted on the right of
return, and rejected alternatives such as naturalizing Palestinian refugees
in their countries of residence or regarding Jordan as the Palestinian
homeland. Mash'al also rejected the notion of a demilitarized Palestinian
state, and said that resistance was a strategy for liberating the homeland
and restoring the Palestinians' rights.
The following are excerpts from the speech:( 1)
On Obama's Speech: The Language Has Changed - But What is Needed is a Change
in Actions
"When the Obama administration came to power, there was a change in the
language used vis-à-vis the region. But the question is, who brought about
this change?... [It was brought about by] the resolute steadfastness of the
region's nations, who resisted in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan,
rejected the occupiers and the dictates of the invaders, and thwarted the
policy of the previous [U.S.] administration...
"We detect a change in the American tone and language vis-à-vis the region
and the Muslim world, as reflected in the speech of President Obama in
Cairo, and we welcome [this change]. However, we assess every change
objectively, and we are not captivated by speeches, because the impact of
words is temporary and transient. We want to see a change in the actual
policy - that is the yardstick by which we judge positions and changes.
Accordingly, the leaders of the superpowers and important countries must
take determined and practical action, adopt firm positions, and undertake
serious initiatives to restore [our] rights and end the illegitimate
occupation. Speeches full of good intentions and promises are not enough.
"Any American administration will be able to restrain Israel and find a
solution to end the occupation only if it first [takes steps to] restrict
the Zionist influence on the American decision makers and to free U.S.
policy of Israel's burdensome intervention and priorities, which exhaust
[everyone] and complicate [matters]...
"We have heard no American or European criticism of Netanyahu's speech -
only praise, approval, and claims that it is a step in the right direction.
Is this the change to which Obama referred in his speech? Where is the
change in policy? Is the change confined to language?...
"[As a matter of fact,] there is a problem even with the language. Obama
discussed at length the suffering of the Jews and their Holocaust in Europe.
At the same time, he ignored our suffering and the holocaust perpetrated by
Israel for decades against the Palestinian people, the latest episode of
which was the vile war, the real holocaust, perpetrated only a few months
ago against our people in Gaza... What kind of justice is it when Obama
rewards the Jews with an artificial nation state [created] by robbing the
Palestinians of their homeland and destroying it, so that half of the
[Palestinian] people live under occupation [and are subject to] massacres
and the other half live in refugee camps in the diaspora...
"Balance and integrity in language are important, but we demand something
more crucial: integrity in action. [We want to see] the rehabilitation of
Gaza, the lifting of the siege, an end to the oppression and [military]
pressure on the West Bank, a chance for the Palestinian reconciliation to
take place without preconditions or intervention by outside forces, and
[measures] to help the Palestinians end the occupation and live in their
homeland like all other nations."
On Netanyahu's Speech: Yes To Palestinian State in 1967 Borders and Right of
Return; No to Recognition of Jewish Israel, Demilitarized Palestinian State,
Naturalizing Refugees, and Jordan as Palestinian Homeland
"Netanyahu's speech was very clear, not vague as some people have claimed.
We were not surprised. We knew that he would uphold the main principles of
the traditional Zionist message that rejects the rights of the Palestinians,
while making a show of accepting Obama's proposals by manipulating words -
and that is indeed what happened.
"We completely reject the Israeli position on the Palestinians' rights, as
expressed by Netanyahu, and especially [his position] on all matters
pertaining to Jerusalem, the right of return, the settlements, normalization
of relations with the Arab states, his outlook on the Palestinian state, its
territories and its borders, and the condition of demilitarizing the
Palestinian state. The state described by Netanyahu is controlled [by
Israel] on land, on sea, and in air. It is a castrated state and a great
prison of suffering, rather than a homeland worthy of a great people.
"We also reject the so-called 'Jewishness' of Israel, and we warn against
any Palestinian or Arab leniency in this regard, because it will mean the
denial of the right of six million Palestinian refugees to return to their
homes. It will also mean that [the Palestinians] in the 1948 territories
[i.e. the Israeli Palestinians] will be driven out of their cities and
villages. The call of the enemy's leadership for a Jewish Israel is a racist
call, no different from the calls made by the Fascism of Italy or the Nazism
of Hitler - obsolete calls, which have been rejected by the world.
"The plan which constitutes our people's bare minimum, and which we accepted
in the [May 2006] National Accord Document as a joint political plan of all
the Palestinian forces, is the establishment of a Palestinian state, with
Jerusalem as its capital, with full sovereignty within the June 4, 1967
borders, after the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the removal of all
the settlements, and the realization of the right of return.
"The right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, from which
they were driven out in 1948, is both a collective national right and an
individual right - the personal prerogative of over five million refugees.
No leader or negotiator may waive this right.
"Let me also take this opportunity to stress that we categorically reject
[the idea of] naturalizing the [Palestinian] refugees [in their countries of
residence] and [the idea of] an alternative homeland, especially in our
sister-country Jordan. Jordan is Jordan and Palestine is Palestine, and
there is no substitute for Palestine..."
Resistance Is a Strategic Option
"We emphasize our adherence to the resistance as a strategic option for
national liberation and the restoration of our rights. No country in the
world is entitled to deny our people its right to engage in resistance
against the occupier. The peoples of Europe exercised this right against the
Nazis, and the U.S. exercised it against British rule, as did the occupied
peoples of Asia and Africa.
"As for 'peaceful resistance' - that is appropriate for the civil rights
struggle, but not for the liberation of a homeland. Military occupation,
armed with conventional and non-conventional weapons, can be confronted only
by armed resistance. Our people has not found an alternative to armed
resistance as a means to restore its rights and end the occupation -
especially considering that for 60 years, the superpowers have failed to
force Israel to end the occupation of our lands, and have not even managed
to force it to honor the U.N. resolutions and the international initiatives.
This is what caused the failure of the political negotiations in the past
two decades and led them to a dead end.
"Resistance is a means, not an end. It is not blind, but is aware of the
current changes. However, it is also aware that actual change is brought
about not by wishes and requests, nor by capitulation to occupation and
injustice - but by [the efforts of] those who resist, fight and sacrifice
for the sake of their goals. Were it not for resistance and struggle, the
Arab and Muslim nations would never have liberated themselves from modern
imperialism, and the peoples of Vietnam and South Africa, for example, would
have never been free.
"In our own case, the international and Israeli recognition of the PLO was
brought about by those who struggled and sacrificed in the Palestinian
revolution and the first Intifada - not by those who gave up their guns and
chose the path of negotiation and compromise. The latter turned negotiation
into a permanent goal, regardless of its price or the benefit it brought,
and [regardless of] the enemy's actions on the ground. More than that - they
agreed to cooperate with the enemy against their people..."
The International Community Must Unconditionally Respect the Palestinians'
Election of Hamas
"We appreciate the new language used by Obama with regard to Hamas. It is
the first step in the right direction, toward direct dialogue with no
preconditions, and we welcome this. Any dealings with Hamas and with the
Palestinian resistance forces must be based on respect for the will of the
Palestinian people and its democratic choice. It must not be based on
preconditions, such as those imposed by the Quartet, because imposing
preconditions on others is an arbitrary act, which is not appropriate for
free peoples...
"These conditions are endless. After the Palestinian negotiators accept
them, they are [always] required to accept new conditions. For example,
after the condition of recognizing Israel, there came the new conditions of
recognizing [Israel] as a Jewish state with Jerusalem as its eternal
capital, of waiving the right of return, and of accepting the settlement
blocs. In addition, [the Palestinians] are required to give up the
resistance and [even] suppress it, persecute it, and disarm it with their
own hands.
"And here I want to emphasize something very important: Hamas' top priority
is [to obtain] recognition of the Palestinians' rights and their right to
self-determination - not recognition of the Hamas [movement itself]. The
Palestinian cause is more important than the movement, and interests of the
homeland trump all [else]. No leadership has the right to relinquish [our]
national rights and interests in return for recognition [of that
leadership]."
The Arabs and Palestinians Must Combine Resistance and Diplomacy
"Netanyahu and his ministers have turned the tables on everyone, so why
should we leave our offers and positions on the table? Why should our
options remain exposed, with no room for maneuvering and without our
strongest bargaining chips? Arab and Palestinian moderation has not led
Israel to [adopt] moderate positions; rather, it has led to an increase in
extremism, to the extent that gangsters like Lieberman have come to power.
[The Palestinians' moderate positions] led to Arafat being besieged and
[later] assassinated by Sharon. Accordingly, in response to Israel's
inflexibility, extremism, and disdain towards us and our rights, we call on
the Arab leaders to adopt a new Palestinian-Arab strategy that will leave
all the options open and combine resistance with diplomacy.
"Hamas and [all the] Palestinian resistance groups are prepared to cooperate
with the Arab countries in creating and implementing this new strategy,
which will realize the interests and rights of the nation, protect its
future, and raise its status [in the world]. Only then will we gain the
respect of others, as well as a real opportunity to restore our rights.
However, if we show helplessness and make endless concessions, this will not
bring [positive] results, but only more humiliation and the erosion of our
rights and our honor. If we project weakness, this will only lead our
enemies to become more extremist and to pressure us without respite."
The PA Is Waging a Systematic Campaign Against Hamas in the West Bank
"[Intra-]Palestinian reconciliation is important not because it is crucial
to a [peace] settlement or to the renewal of the Palestinian-Israeli
negotiations, as some believe, but because it is of [supreme] national
importance to end the [internal] strife and deal with its consequences, to
unite our ranks, reinstate social unity, and to strengthen the national
Palestinian front in its struggle against the occupation and its extremist
leadership. Let me stress here that Hamas, including all its leadership
institutions, has decided to act without delay to end the internal rift and
arrive at national reconciliation via intra-Palestinian dialogue under the
sponsorship of [our] sister Egypt, and to cooperate with [Egypt] and with
all Arabs and Muslims in any effort promoting this goal.
"To this end, a Hamas delegation will be dispatched to Cairo to renew the
dialogue with [our] friends in Fatah, with a view to removing any obstacles
that are still obstructing the road to reconciliation.
"To achieve true reconciliation, several things must be done, the most
important of which is to repel [any] outside interference and conditions
imposed by external elements. In addition, [all] topics of dialogue must be
addressed as a unit, and implemented both in Gaza and the West Bank.
"The main obstacle to reconciliation is what has been happening in Gaza for
two years now [namely, the rift between Gaza and the West Bank]. It is a
shame that we must deal with internal issues when we are confronted with the
challenge of the Zionists. However, the deteriorating situation and vile
injustice compel us to warn [about what is happening].
"This dangerous escalation [in the Hamas-PA conflict] has begun to threaten
the national interests and Palestinian principles, in particular the right
to resist, and we are no longer talking of a passing internal problem.
Unfortunately, we have [been forced to] send a memorandum to the leaders of
the [Arab] nation protesting the oppressive measures taken [against us] by
the PA, [that is,] by Salam Fayadh's government and its security
apparatuses, which are under the oversight of U.S. [security coordinator for
Israel and the PA] General [Keith] Dayton.
"What is happening in the West Bank is a systematic campaign targeting the
resistance, its weapons, and its fighters from all the military branches.
The PA is coordinating its actions with the occupation in order to arrest
them and kill them, and what happened in Qalqilya a few weeks ago [i.e. the
assassination of several 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam activists by PA security
apparatuses] is only the tip of the iceberg - one prominent example of this
painful situation. This [campaign] is based on decrees that define any
organization that resists the occupation as an illegal organization.
"As part of this campaign, the PA has arrested hundreds of leaders and field
activists from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad [movements]. There are 830
detainees from Hamas alone, most of them leaders, religious scholars,
students, [university] lecturers, and businessmen. Most of them have been
subjected to horrible torture, which in many cases resulted in death or
hospitalization. Among the detainees are also women, five of whom are still
being tortured... The West Bank is witnessing a comprehensive campaign, the
like of which has not been seen since 1967, aimed at eradicating Hamas and
the [other] resistance forces.
"In addition to the arrests, this campaign includes [other moves aimed at]
toppling the organization, [such as] closing down civilian, charity,
education, information and media institutions, as well as clubs and zakat
[charity] committees. [The PA also] withholds funds from the families of the
shahids and prisoners.
"[The actions of] General Dayton and those who worked with him were the
primary reason for the coup against the national unity government that was
formed on the basis of the 2007 Mecca Agreement. Similarly, the actions
carried out today by Dayton along with the Palestinian security
apparatuses - which he built and which operate under his supervision - are
the main obstacle to achieving national reconciliation...
"An examination of Dayton's May 7 [2009] address to the Washington Institute
exposes the danger posed by the actions of this general, who boasted that he
had created the 'new Palestinians' and had dismantled the resistance
[groups] in the West Bank in coordination with the Israeli army.
"I urge President Obama to recall General Dayton from the West Bank... as
part of the spirit of change for which you [Americans] are calling, and
because imposing a rule of oppression over our people is in blatant
contradiction to the principles of democracy that you [constantly] preach.
"Attacking the resistance and destroying the organizational infrastructure
and national institutions in the West Bank does not promote the security or
interests of our people; it only serves the security of the Israeli
occupation, with no reward for us. Why take pride in unilaterally
implementing the Palestinian security obligations set out in the infamous...
Road Map [agreement], while the Israeli occupier has implemented none of its
obligations [under the Road Map]? This was the case in Olmert's time, and
this has continued under Netanyahu and Lieberman, who are more extremist.
Must the road to resolving the Palestinian problem and establishing a
Palestinian state pass through the elimination of the Palestinian identity,
its strongest bargaining chips and its resolute steadfastness?
"We have told Egypt that the issue of the West Bank detainees must be
resolved, and that the campaign of oppression [against the resistance] must
stop, in order to clear the air and create an atmosphere that will allow the
dialogue to succeed and enable real national reconciliation. Despite the
efforts of Egypt, Syria and other Arab countries, what we see on the ground
is nothing but media statements about releasing [detainees]. We have no
faith [in these declarations, because the PA] frees a few detainees and then
arrests twice as many..."
Shalit Will Be Returned Only as Part of Serious Exchange Deal
"We are still willing to carry out the [Gilad Shalit] exchange deal.
Netanyahu's only option for getting Shalit back is through a serious
exchange deal, but if he adopts inflexible [positions] he will fail just
like his predecessor, Olmert... Let me stress that all options for freeing
the [Palestinian] prisoners are still open, and that today, June 25, is the
third anniversary of Shalit's abduction on the battlefield."
Israel Failed in Its Nazi War on Gaza
"Despite our bleeding wounds and our deep anguish, and even though the
balance of power favors our enemies, Israel will never defeat our nation. It
failed in its Nazi war on Gaza, just as it failed previously in Lebanon,
thanks to the mythological steadfastness and the resistance of our people.
"World public opinion has [now] turned against Israel, while the peoples of
the Arab and Muslim nations stand alongside Palestine and the resistance. We
call for intensifying the resistance and steadfastness, the efforts of the
peoples, and [any] diplomatic activity that is cognizant of and complies
with [our] principles, national rights and Arab interests, and which [is in
tune with] our self-respect and our confidence in Allah. Only this will
bring us near to the moment of victory and to [the realization of] our
national enterprise, which includes freedom, liberty and self-determination,
and which will restore our rights and our holy places..."
Endnotes:
(1) www.palestine-info.info, June 25, 2009.
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