Meshaal\'s Cairo speech \"modified\"

Mahmoud Al-Zahar Gaza – Mohammed Habib  A leading figure in the Islamic Resistance Movement, "Hamas", Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahar, has confirmed that the Palestinian reconciliation agreement will never mean that the programme of his

movement will ever come close to that of the Fatah movement.  He also stressed that the speech that the political Bureau chief, Khaled Meshaal made in Cairo was “modified”, stating that his movement's programme was against negotiating in this way because it is “a waste of time”.  On the subject of reconciliation, Al-Zahar said that everything related to the reconciliation is currently on hold until after the Palestinian bid for statehood in September.  He expects that after that the reconciliation will be suspended due to the adherence of President Abu Mazen to Salam Fayyad for the position of President.  Al-Zahar spoke out during an exclusive interview with ArabsToday from his home in Gaza city:

Q: Where stage did the reconciliation efforts reach?  And is Fayyad the main reason for the stalling of these efforts?
A: The reconciliation that was signed in Cairo is being disabled because it is not being implemented or applied practically.  Salam Fayyad is a part of this disruption, but the greatest part in the disruption is the intervention of the U.S.. The given by the U.S. have taken four dimensions; The first is the demand by President Abbas for Fayyad to be president, the second is that the government should be Abu Mazen's, the third is that it should be formed by Abu Mazen, and not by the Legislative Council - the aim therefore being to freeze the Legislative Council, which is held by a Hamas majority.  The fourth demand that they have made, is for there to be no possibility of the PLO activating the transitional leadership.  These four points are the main obstacle to forming a government, and this political environment has come about in light of the conclusion reached by President Abbas.  He wanted to jump for joy at the September bid, and matters are now pending on the reconciliation of this so-called bid. I do also think that the reconciliation will be suspended because of the adherence of Abu Mazen to Fayyad.
Q: What do you have to say about President Abbas stating that the reconciliation is subject to Hamas accepting Fayyad?   
A: If the reconciliation has been linked to Fayyad, then this is no reconciliation. As for Abbas, he does not want Salam Fayyad, and did not put Fayyad's name forward in the first reconciliation meetings.  He is putting Fayyad’s name forward now because America has told him that it will not recognize a government that does not have Fayyad at its head, and because America wants Fayyad, we do not want him.  Fayyad is not an acceptable option. He must be prosecuted legally because he formed an illegitimate government that lasted for a period of five years, and did not take the consent of the Legislative Council.  It also committed countless crimes.  Fayyad cut the salaries of those who worked, and gave them to those who refrained from serving their people in the health service, and in the education system.  Fayyad is cooperating with the Israeli security forces, and has tortured many prisoners to the point of killing them.  It is now said that he has created $4 million worth of debt, which means that this man is a failure on all professional levels, and his administration is corrupt.  Any money that is put into the hands of his administration will go towards the wrong things.
Q: What about the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehood in the “September claim”– What is Hamas’s position on that?
A:  Whoever coined this term must think that people are stupid. Who came up with this “September claim”? It is Obama’s plan that says that in September there must be a Palestinian State. Who trusts Obama after this experience other than fools.  Following the failure of the negotiations, Abbas has made a political manoeuvre, and it is a waste of time.  After the September bid for statehood there will be additional bids in May, July, and other months.  Therefore it is a comical political manipulation of the Palestinian people, who do not trust him. Hamas won the majority of the votes in 2006, and therefore it is a trick, and no more.  All that can happen is that the Palestinians aspirations will not be met, and Israel will not allow the September claim to be implemented.
 Q:  How do you see the current crisis at the Rafah crossing?
A: The Rafah crossing currently plays an important role, and any attempts to cause friction between Egypt and us have failed.  The size of the demand we have at the Rafah border crossing is greater than anyone can imagine.  There are thousands of people who go to the crossing, and thousands of them have been denied in the past years.  The Rafah crossing is bigger than any other crossing, particularly given the security situation in Sinai.  I believe that the current crisis is a summer crisis, and when the holiday ends, the situation at the crossing will improve.  We can appreciate that the conditions at this time of year are exceptional circumstances.
Q: How do you assess the current situation in Egypt after the revolution? And what is your relationship with the new system?
A: We do not interfere in the internal situation of Egypt.  The measure of the relationship that we have with any system depends upon the satisfaction and harmony of that system, and the opinion of the people in it.  The Egyptian people see the Military Council as a national plan, and the government as a revolutionary choice, but they are not satisfied with the speed of the implementation of their demands and protests.  This is an internal Egyptian matter.  As for us, I believe that Mubarek closed the Rafah border crossing completely, and only opened it unless he was forced to when the borders were invaded, and when there was the Israeli aggression on Gaza.  For the rest of the year the crossing was closed.  It is true that the crossing is not completely open now, but it is of course working better than it did in the past.
Q: Is Hamas suffering from an economic crisis at the moment?
A: All the Palestinian people are in economic crisis. The West Bank is in crisis.  Consider the wall, the confiscated land, the settlements, the Judaization of Jerusalem, and the corruption of power in the West Bank and in Gaza.  The whole of Gaza is living under siege.  But this crisis has solutions whether partial or complete, and some things are functioning, thank God.
Q: Is Hamas currently in contact with the West?
A: There are always contacts, whether they are individuals, or former employees in senior positions, or contacts who work for humanitarian institutions.  Everyone is trying to understand the true position of Hamas.  Yesterday I had a meeting with the representatives of former U.S. President, Carter when they came to survey the situation in Gaza, the needs of the people, and the issue of the siege.  We have nothing to hide in this domain.  We are partaking in every session and provide insights in their testimonies. There are constant Western meetings with the Muslim Brotherhood, in the knowledge that the world is on the verge of an Islamic awakening, and knowing that this group forewent the call to the state. They do not want to be surprised by reality.  We do not conduct these meetings often, but at least he who is sitting with you is convinced by your words that it is a beneficial thing to do when we see Israeli oppression - it is indeed in our interest.
Q: How would you rate the rule of Hamas over the past five years?
A: We offer what we can.  The people can answer this question.  It is possible to find out the answer from surveys and research centres.
Q: There were statements made by Fatah leader Faisal Abu Shahla saying that there was a convergence between the programs of Hamas and Fatah; after Meshaal’s speech in Cairo what is your comment on this?
A:  This man wants to prove that Hamas is taking the same approach as Fatah, but this is not true.  Hamas is not Fatah, and never will be.  Fatah has been trying to play this game since antiquity – they have always said in the past that Hamas agrees with what Fatah wants, particularly with regard to the withdrawal from the occupied territories in 1967 - and this is not true.  Hamas sees this issue in a completely different way to the Fatah movement.
Q: But the head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, gave the Authority the notice to negotiate with Israel in his speech at the ceremony of the reconciliation…
A: Meshaal’s speech was modified, we did not recognize his position, and he did not consult us about it. Therefore we have never given Fatah an opportunity or a mandate to negotiate for us, or the Palestinian people.  Our programme is against negotiating in this way because it is a waste of time.  Evidence of this is the practical experience we have had from the Madrid Conference twenty years ago, until this very moment.  All we hear about are negotiations, negotiations, negotiations, and the scandals of the negotiating team and its leader, Saeb Erekat.  Anyone who says that we are negotiating with them or going into further negotiations does not represent the position of the Hamas movement.
Q: Has the resistance fallen for reconciliation to take its place?
A: Those who think that the actions of the civil and military resistance impede the reconciliation, and that the reconciliation is something else, are wrong.  The resistance will not pay the price in any way.
Q: Do you regret entering into the realm of governance?
A: On the contrary, we have succeeded and given a good example in the most difficult circumstances.  If Hamas was formed under normal conditions and went on to succeed in the sphere of governance, then it would be said that that was normal, but for Hamas to emerge under the circumstances of the siege and the Israeli aggression and wars, and to still succeed in the way that it has done, I believe to be a great success.  It has been successful against all the odds, and in various fields.