Hamas: reconciliation takes priority over UN bid

Taher Nunu, the official spokesman for the Hamas government in Gaza, said that the Palestinian reconciliation takes priority over the Palestinian statehood UN bid. Nunu stressed that implementing the reconciliation agreement points and forming a joint government should take place before going to the UN. In a telephone interview with Arabstoday, Nunu said that the latest speech by Mahmoud Abbas “holds several mysterious points, one of which is the refugees and their return to Palestine issue. Hamas is with any political move or effort that agrees with, stands by and supports Palestinian people in being liberated.” The spokesman warned of the dangers of going ahead with the UN bid especially with the US veto awaiting them. He reaffirmed Hamas’s seriousness and commitment to the reconciliation according to the items that were agreed upon in documents signed by all factions in Cairo. In a statement on Saturday, Hamas said that: “going ahead with the UN bid is unfortunately an individual move carried out by Fatah, away from the reconciliation and a strategic national unity that was agreed upon, which feels as though they are doing it for the determination to approach the negotiations without Hamas’s choice in order to be the one holding “all the cards.” Hamas stressed that they are convinced that essentially resistance, alongside all forms of political and mass work and struggle is the true way to liberate Palestine and take back their rights. They added that: “what people really want is actually liberate Palestine and have a sovereign country; not to only talks about a country that doesn’t exist.” The movement invited Fatah, authorities in Ramallah, and all Palestinian factions to hold a dialogue and to reconsider all those issues in order to reach a national Palestinian strategy that everyone can agree on, in order to liberate Palestine from the Israeli occupation.”