Hamas leader seeks partnership

2006-01-28 14:35

Damascus - The Hamas political leader said on Saturday his group wanted a partnership with other Palestinian factions and called for the world to respect the radical organisation's landslide victory in parliamentary elections.

Speaking to reporters from his base in Damascus, the Syrian capital, Khaled Mashaal outlined three goals: Reform of the Palestinian authority, sustaining its resistance to Israel and "arranging the Palestinian home."

The Hamas chief also obliquely refused to disarm.

"As long as we are under occupation then resistance is our right," Mashaal said.

Mashaal indicated attacks on Israeli civilians would continue as long as Israel continued to target Palestinian civilians.

"Resistance is a legitimate right that we will practice and protect. Our presence in the legislature will strengthen the resistance," Mashaal said. "If people raised the issue of targeting civilians, we said and we say that when our enemy stops targeting civilians we will abide by that."

Asked if a truce that ended at the end of 2005 will be renewed, Mashaal said "it results were not encouraging."

A partnership formula

Marshal said he was in contact with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "We will reach a partnership formula, and we extend our hand to everyone." He said no Palestinian faction would be sidelined.

Hamas won 76 seats of the 132-member parliament in this week's election.

Mashaal attacked US and Israeli opposition to the Hamas victory, saying the "world raised the slogan of democracy and now it should respect the results of democracy. If you want to punish the Palestinian people for practicing democracy then the American administration should punish Americans for choosing President (George W) Bush."

He declared Hamas' determination to reshape the Palestinian authority, coining the phrase: "Hamas succeeded in resistance and it will succeed in reforms."

In an apparent reference to the ruling Fatah Party, Mashaal warned those "who might try block the work because they are out of power. They are the ones who will be responsible."

Mashaal vowed to work for Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, which, he said, numbered 9 000.

- AP