Hamas officials have announced that the latest Palestinian unity agreement between Hamas and Fatah has never and would never include discussions regarding the disarmament of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Speaking to the press in Gaza, Hamas’s political bureau deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzouk said that Hamas and other Palestinian groups have arrived at a “temporary” agreement. Marzouk further added that Hamas has never intended to recognize Israel or abide by previous agreements.
The United States and other countries have demanded that Hamas recognize the State of Israel and its right to exist. Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations have further demanded that the terrorist organization abide by previous agreements signed by the PA and renounce violence as a means to achieving goals. These principles were adopted by the UN Security Council in December 2008 under Resolution 1850.
However, according to Marzouk, Hamas would never agree to “recognizing the Zionist entity.”
“We have rejected and continue to reject any conditions detracting from Palestinian rights,” he told Qatari news channel Al-Jazeera. “Hamas will remain loyal to the right of return and to liberation.”
Marzouk’s statement is in line with the adopted stance of Hamas officials regarding the newest Palestinian agreement. Last week, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a top Hamas official, dismissed claims that Hamas would ever agree to recognize Israel. He also explained that Hamas forces would not be under the command of the proposed government.
“The reconciliation deal won’t change the current situation, and the new government’s ministers are to have no authority over diplomacy since it is an interim government,” he said. “The reconciliation deal will not change Hamas at all, and will not bring the organization to recognize Israel’s right to exist.”
Zahar clarified that members of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades would continue to act independently of the new unity government as well as all armed factions belonging to Hamas.
