Rajoub: “US Threatened Fateh of Boycott Should It Reconcile With Hamas”
Thursday January 21, 2010 06:05 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News
www.imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=57705

Deputy-head of the Central Committee of Fateh movement, Jibril Rajoub,
stated that the movement and its presidents, Mahmoud Abbas, were threatened
on boycott by the United States should they achieve reconciliation with the
rival Hamas movement.

The statements of Rajoub came during an interview with the Al Sabah Tunisian
Newspaper.

The former head of the Preventive Security Forces in the West Bank added
that during unity talks with Hamas, Fateh movement was threatened by several
United States officials who said that signing a deal with Hamas would lead
to a siege on Fateh and its Authority in the West Bank.

He also called for a larger Turkish role in the Palestinian-Israeli peace
process.

Rajoub further stated that when Egypt proposed reconciliation and talk
between Fateh and Hamas, his movement, despite some reservations on the
Egyptian proposals, approved holding talks with Hamas but as the talks where
ongoing under Egyptian mediation, the United States threatened to boycott
Fateh.

He added that the movement decided to accept the Egyptian proposals and to
reject the “provocative American pressures and threats”.

“We are still willing to hold talks with Hamas”, Rajoub added, “We are not
part of any foreign agenda, we are a Palestinian movement working for
Palestine and its cause”.

He also welcomed the international delegates visiting the Gaza Strip and
breaking the siege, and called on Europe and the United States to open
dialogue with the Hamas movement as it is an important part of the
Palestinian people and that Hamas cannot be ignored.

He called for unity with Hamas and all factions, and added that Hamas’s gate
to regional and international recognition can only be achieved through unity
and under the umbrella of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).

As for peace talks with Israel and the expected 14th visit of the US Middle
East Envoy, George Mitchell, Rajoub stated that Fateh movement will not
accept to resume peace talks with Israel before it stops its violations, the
illegal settlement activities and the construction of the Annexation Wall.

He added that talks cannot be held with Israel while it is ongoing with its
violations in East Jerusalem, the destruction of homes and the ongoing
efforts to change its demography.

“The visit of Mitchell, and others, will not change anything on the ground”,
he stated, “We will continue our political maneuvers and efforts to raise
awareness to the cause, and achieve justice”.

He further states that Turkey is a regional power that can affect the
situation in the Middle East, and is playing an essential role in the
region.