Hamas Official: Weapons Should Not Be Surrendered, Reject External Rule

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 9 - Khaled Mashal, a senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), stated on the 8th in Doha, the capital of Qatar, that Hamas should not surrender its weapons and does not accept external forces managing Gaza.

According to AFP, Mashal said, "We should not accept the classification of resistance actions, resistors, and their weapons as illegal."

"Where there is occupation, there will be resistance. Resistance is the right of oppressed nations," he said.

Mashal's statement directly counters the demands from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated on the 3rd during a meeting with U.S. presidential envoy Wittekov that before the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip begins, Hamas must first be disarmed, the Gaza Strip must be fully demilitarized, and the war objectives set by Israel must be achieved, which is Israel's "non-negotiable position."

On the 8th, Mashal also stated that Hamas will not accept foreign rule over Palestinian territories. "Palestine will be governed by Palestinians. The Gaza Strip belongs to the people of Gaza. We will not accept foreign rule," Mashal said.

In addition to Hamas, a senior official from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Jihad) also stated on the 4th that Palestinian resistance factions have reached a consensus to continue holding "the weapons of the Palestinian people." (Ou Sa)