“Elections are recognition of Palestinian division,” says Haniya

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya told Echorouk in an interview about the revolution in Egypt and the elections announced by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

• What is your position towards the elections announced by Mahmoud Abbas?
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• We consider elections as an automatic mean to choose people’s representatives and peaceful alternation of power. It is an integral part of our previous dialogues and agreements with Fatah. We are for the elections but we do not agree on their date and mechanism. They come within division and without guarantee of their transparency. They also come as part of a unilateral decision far from national coherence. Because of that, we believe that this decision is recognition of division and a part of the crisis state in the commandment of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
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• It was noted that you hesitated in supporting Egypt’s popular revolution and you were late in supporting the Egyptian people.
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• There was no delay but our position is clear and constant. We do not intervene in domestic affairs of Arab countries. Any supporting position would have been considered as interference in domestic affairs. Because of that, we preferred to be impartial and we said in the end that we are for what the Egyptian people choose and we respect this choice.
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• Do you believe that this change is an opportunity to end the blockade on the Gaza Strip?
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• There is a difference between lifting the blockade and ending the link between Gaza and the Palestinian cause. What we want is to end the blockade and allow individuals and goods pass by it. That does not mean we will not continue struggling for opening the rest of crossing points. We sacrificed because we did not want give any tiny part of Palestine. We are against Gaza separation neither its dependence to any other nation. Political positions are constant.
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• After four years of Palestinian division, do you plan any initiative?
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• The whole Palestinian political reality needs reassessment and special formulation. National relations and reconciliation must not have a negative impact on Palestinian high interests and the Palestinian people’s future.