Haniyeh: Hamas will continue armed resistance
Published 17 April 2015 14:41
http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760527

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Deputy Head of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday that
his movement would continue to use armed resistance against the Israeli
state.

"Hamas negotiates with the enemy with arms, not talks," the senior official
said during a press conference commemorating Palestinian Prisoner's Day and
the death of Hamas co-founder Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi.

Al Rantisi was killed by Israeli forces in 2004 along with his 27-year-old
son, a body guard, and four bystanders in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas is committed to its principles and visions and prisoners will not be
forgotten, Haniyeh added.

His remarks came as Hamas official Khalil al-Haya called for the abduction
of Israelis, who could be swapped for Palestinians held by Israel.

Kidnapping tactics have been used in the past to free prisoners, as Israel
has continually opted out of following through with agreed prisoner
releases, including prisoners to have been released through the Oslo
Accords.

Haniyeh's Thursday conference commemorated the 6,000 Palestinian prisoners
currently held in Israeli jails as well as the hundreds of thousands who
have been detained since 1967.

Following the reelection of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March, only
16 percent of Palestinians supported an unconditional return to negotiations
with Israel, according to a recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy
and Survey Research.

By contrast, 42 percent support a return to negotiations only if Israel
agreed to freeze settlement construction, while 36 percent oppose a return
to negotiations even if Israel agreed to freeze settlement construction.