No other choice than reconciliation, Hamas must return to legitimacy, says Dahlan

Controversial Fatah representative Mohamed Dahlan said his relationship with the late Yasser Arafat was like a father with his son. “I lived with the late leader happy and sad moments. Of them, the most difficult was talks battle at Camp David and the last Intifada attacks,” he told Echorouk in an interview.

• To which extent is it true that you are involved in the murder of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat? It is believed that a letter was sent on your behalf to Israel Defence Minister to suggest his elimination.
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• It is part of incitement campaign not against me personally by against the legitimate Palestinian Leadership. It is a campaign against every Palestinian nationalist. It aims at having control on the Palestinian national decision and using the Palestinian cause as an asset for blackmail. Yasser Arafat will be always a political part of our national and political conscience.
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• Hamas said there are suspicious relations between you and Israel on the basis of documents it got after it had control on Gaza. What is your comment?
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• This question is part of the incitement campaign as well. The Palestinian Leadership will not come back to the Gaza Strip only through reconciliation and dialogue. We are attached to legitimacy, reconciliation and dialogue. Fatah is a national movement which believes in partnership and
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• I do not know about the documents you are talking about. If it has something to do with what Hamas had published on its websites citing Israeli sources, it is part of scepticism campaign. It is a pity that Hamas is always citing Israeli sources. As you know, Israel does not want to see a Palestinian partner for peace. Because of that, it tries to spread rumours about the Palestinian Leadership.
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• The Palestinian reality is more and more complicated as the Authority and Hamas do not want to give up their positions and make concessions. What could be the solution for this crisis?
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• First of all, I want to say that Hamas was behind the problem. The solution is clear now. The Egyptian reconciliation draft should be signed. After that, we will deal with presidential and legislative elections as a way to renew legitimacy.
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• What would happen if Hamas wins the elections?
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• If Hamas wins, it will be the people’s choice and we will respect it. Fatah gave power to Hamas after it had won the legislative elections in 2006.
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• Is Al-Qaeda or any other terrorist groups present in the Gaza Strip?
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• We hear about such presence in the Gaza Strip. That is a dangerous situation. Israel will seize the opportunity in its favour by describing the Palestinian resistance as terrorist.
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• How do assess the way Egypt is dealing with human rights organisations and Gaza’s people through the Rafah crossing?
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• First of all, we should mention that the Gaza Strip is blockaded by Israel. The Rafah crossing was closed after Hamas coup in Gaza. As soon as this coup is over, the Rafah will be opened. As you know, there is an international convention about the crossing. If it is not respected, the crossing will not be opened as it was in the past.
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• Egypt faces an unfair incitement campaign. If it opens the crossing, that would show it supports division. If it closes the crossing, it will be accused of blockading the Strip. Most of aid enters Gaza through the Rafah crossing.
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• What do you think about Egypt’s steel wall between Sinai and Gaza?
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• The solution of all the problems and ending the blockade starts by reconciliation. Hamas must come for reconciliation and end its coup in Gaza.
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• Why does Palestinian dialogue between the Authority and Hamas fail? Who is behind that?
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• The dialogue did not fail. We reached an Egyptian Draft and Hamas says it accepts it but it want to make some changes. By the way, Fatah has many reserves about this draft. Yet, the reconciliation is the most important point. Because of that, we signed the draft as it is. The dialogue did not fail and we are waiting for Hamas to sign. The most important thing is the national unity.
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• Is there any Palestinian clear vision to solve the conflict between Fatah and Hamas away from Iran, Egypt, the US and Israel’s interference?
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• Certainly, we have a Palestinian vision. The Palestinian people have never witnessed such a division. We have always been unified with the respect of intellectual and political pluralism principle. Division happened when Hamas entered a certain territorial axis. If we stop foreign interferences, Palestine will be unified once again.
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• What is your position towards the Palestinian resistance? Do you believe that it is time now for political resistance and negotiations instead of military resistance?
• Fatah was behind the historic initiative when it launched an armed fight against Israel in 1965. We are for the resistance as a means to recover national rights and achieve our national goals.