'No Palestinian can Forget Sultan Abdülhamid II'

In an interview with Zaman, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah stressed that Turkish people have always supported Palestinians.

‘’Sultan Abdülhamid II did not consent to Jews immigrating to the Palestinian lands, even though he was offered large sums of money,” he said.

Hamas leader Haniyah spoke to Zaman about Israel’s blockade on Palestine, coalition negotiations between the ruling Hamas government and Fatah, economic hardships and the Lebanon issue and praised Turkey’s stance on the Palestinian issue.

Haniyah emphasized that the Turkish people had always extended their moral and material help to the Palestinian people and assured Palestinians would never forget what Turkey had done for them.
He recalled that Abdülhamid II did not allow Jews to migrate to the Palestinian lands, despite the money they offered, and said every Palestinian knew this fact.

Demonstrations held in Turkey to support the Palestinian people were quite important in terms of moral support, Haniyah said, and appreciated Turkey’s efforts to ensure the release of the abducted Israeli soldier by Palestinian groups.
He said, “All these events show how the Turkish and Palestinian peoples are cordially close.”

The Palestinian prime minister had a request for Turkey: “Before Ramadan begins, we expect Turkey to help to pay the salaries of health and educational personnel who are on strike because they have not yet been paid. Turkey could share its experience in law, administration and politics with the Palestinians. As a major country and civilization, Turkey could exercise its strategic stance and power to force Israel to remove its blockade on Palestine.”

The Hamas-member prime minister is angered at the Israeli embargo on Palestine, as his popularity has sharply dropped due to embargo-prompted economic problems, such as rising unemployment and unpaid salaries.
He believed the Palestinian people were left to suffer because they refused the conditions dictated by Israel and the U.S.
However, the Palestinians have shown strong resistance.

Haniyah recalled the Hamas government initiated talks with its Israeli counterpart to avoid inflicting any hardship on Palestinians, adding: “We announced in the premiership declaration when we came to power that the Hamas government would recognize agreements signed with Israel during former Palestinian governments. We also urged our ministers to initiate meetings with their Israeli counterparts. However, what we got was a cut of monthly tax payments to Palestinians, which was their right.”

Haniyah stressed the Hamas government had sent delegates to many countries, to the Palestinian president and other Palestinian groups to have the Israeli blockade removed. He said the government could make payments to civil servants by money brought to the country through the Rafah border gate and collected taxes.
Palestine’s Debt $2.4 million

Haniyah refused allegations that the economic situation of Palestinians had deteriorated during the ruling of the Hamas government. “The foreign aid shipped to Palestine before the Hamas government came to power had served political purposes. The main goal was to impose Israel’s conditions and to hand over Palestinians fighting against Israel to the aid payers. The Hamas government did not make any concession regarding these issues and protected the honor of Palestine. In fact, the economic situation of Palestine was not better before as it was claimed. Regular salary payments were made by credits given by foreign countries. The Palestinian administration has a debt of $2.4 million.”

Haniyah said Hamas strived to form a coalition with the Fatah Party after it won the elections, but failed.
However, he added, the Hamas government did not renounce the idea of forming a coalition and held positive negotiations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, commonly known as Abu Mazen, and Fatah, noting they were resolute to continue the negotiations.

Haniyah said a coalition government that included the Fatah Party had not yet been agreed upon, but the new government would be declared after negotiations had been completed.

In the face of allegations that the Hamas government had failed to control certain Palestinian groups located in Gaza that fired Qassam rockets into Israel, prompting it to launch bloody attacks on Palestine, Haniyah reiterated his government’s policy: “Armed Palestinian groups serve Palestinian interests and they target the enemy. The actual problem is that the Palestinian lands are under occupation.”

The Palestinian prime minister urged Israel to stop torturing Palestinians and free Gaza, the Palestinian territory where Israel withdrew from a few years ago, adding the Hamas government would not negotiate with Israel if the situation persisted.

Hezbollah’s resistance against Israel provided a chance for Palestinians and other regional peoples to regain their shattered self-esteem, Haniyah said, adding: “This resistance proved the will to stand is stronger than the power of arms. Will has brought victory. Hezbollah’s resistance is the symbol of Lebanon defying external pressure.”

‘We Didn’t Demand Israel’s Destruction’

The Hamas government is under huge pressure because of unemployment and unpaid salaries triggered by the Israeli blockade on Palestine.
Haniyah underlined the Hamas government had never said “The Israeli state should be destroyed,” which served as a pretext for the embargo imposed on Palestine by the U.S. and European countries. He stressed Hamas was ready to negotiate with Israel if its conditions were accepted.

Haniyah’s Conditions for Negotiation
Palestinians’ natural rights should be accepted.
Jerusalem should be the capital of the Palestinian state.
Displaced Palestinian refugees should be allowed to return.
Ten thousand Palestinian prisoners should be released.

(Today’s Zaman, 09 September 2006, Saturday )