Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Hamas leader rules out declaring Gaza state
16 Jun 2007 09:29:23 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds quotes, background)

PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has ruled out setting up a separate Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip after his Islamists routed forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas sacked the three-month-old unity government he formed with Hamas on Thursday but Haniyeh has refused to accept his dismissal as prime minister.

Asked if he intended to declare Gaza a state after taking control of the territory, Haniyeh said in an interview with France's Le Figaro daily published on Saturday: "No. Gaza belongs to all the Palestinian people and not just Hamas."

Haniyeh, who became prime minister after Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006, also said he wanted a "reciprocal, global and simultaneous" truce with Israel.

"Separation is not on the agenda and never will be," he added.

"We reject the idea of separating the Palestinian Territories between East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which are inseparable."

Haniyeh was dismissed by Abbas after the Islamic movement's bloody takeover of Gaza, an impoverished enclave bordering Israel and Egypt, after days of bloody civil war.

Abbas will swear in a new prime minister and emergency cabinet on Saturday, a top presidential aide said. Abbas has tapped Salam Fayyad, a Western-backed independent lawmaker, to serve as prime minister of the new government.

Haniyeh said Hamas remained the legitimate government of the Palestinian Territories, adding that his forces had taken over in order to end violence he said was started by Abbas's Fatah.

"We will ensure discipline and the law in Gaza," Haniyeh said. "That way it will be easier to obtain the release of British journalist Alan Johnston. His kidnappers will listen to us more," he added."

Johnston, the only Western correspondent based full-time in Gaza, was seized on March 12. His abductors, a little-known group called the Army of Islam, issued a video of him on June 1 in which he said he was in good health and being well treated.

Haniyeh repeated Hamas's call for a Palestinian state within the borders of 1967 -- Gaza and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He added: "We undertake to respect all the accords passed, signed by the Palestinian Authority. We wish for a reciprocal, global and simultaneous truce with Israel."

Hamas leaders have offered a long-term truce with Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Islamist group continues to say it will not formally recognise Israel and its 1988 founding charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.


AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article       Send comments

Emergencies

•  Israeli-Palestinian conflict

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.
Reset map

•  Israel profile
· View map

•  Palestinian territories profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

•  Gaza-Westbank – ICRC Bulletin No. 22 / 2007
ICRC - Switzerland

•  Continuing isolation of Gaza results in more violence.
Christian Aid - UK

•  Gaza-WestBank – ICRC Bulletin No. 21 / 2007
ICRC - Switzerland

•  Tension in Gaza disrupts life at SOS Children's Village
SOS-Kinderdorf International

•  ICRC deplores abuse of medical facilities and deliberate attacks on civilians in Gaza
ICRC - Switzerland

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Hamas leader rules out declaring Gaza state

•  Hamas leader rules out declaring Gaza state

•  Abbas to swear in Palestinian emergency government

•  Occupied Palestinian Territories: Groups Should Treat Captives Humanely

•  Arab governments give Abbas vote of confidence

MORE >>

Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Sat Jun 16 09:30:44 2007