Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member and Fatah party member Fuad Kokali put the lie to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' claims he will negotiate with Israel Thursday.
In an interview with the pro-'Palestinian' Alternative Information Center, Kokali said "it is a must to have this reconciliation because we need the world to recognize a... Palestinian state and without Gaza ... this weakens our position."
"And now they are building a new policy to stop the Palestinian state in September," Kokali said about opposition to unilateral PA efforts outside the Oslo framework that circumvent peace negotiations with Israel, to gain a declaration of statehood by the United Nations in September.
"And they justify their actions [saying] that still the region is not ready, the Palestinians are not ready. So they took the position of Israel. And so that means we have to negotiate another 20 years. And I think this will be refused by the Palestinians," Kokali said.
Kokali also admitted Hamas had not agreed to pursue peace with Israel - one of the Quartet's key conditions for the admission of Hamas to the Palestinian Authority if it wishes to retain legitimacy.
"For Hamas there is no other choice so they will go for this [unity]," Kokali said. "But, if we are talking about principles, for example what will be the position with Hamas toward the peace process, or Fatah, this we will continue to negotiate later."
"We will continue to negotiate with Hamas about the peace process, about the peace with Israel, about the resistance, and what kind of resistance we need if peace fails .. this needs more negotiation," Kokali said.
Kokali's admission that Hamas only agreed to unity because it had no choice, and that Hamas' position vis-a-vis Fatah remained ambigous, underscores not only the tenuous nature of the agreement, but also the tenuous permanence any PA-Israel agreement would have.
It also buttresses concerns the inclusion of Hamas in the PA may lead to a Hamas takeover of PA areas in Judea and Samaria.
INN
In an interview with the pro-'Palestinian' Alternative Information Center, Kokali said "it is a must to have this reconciliation because we need the world to recognize a... Palestinian state and without Gaza ... this weakens our position."
"And now they are building a new policy to stop the Palestinian state in September," Kokali said about opposition to unilateral PA efforts outside the Oslo framework that circumvent peace negotiations with Israel, to gain a declaration of statehood by the United Nations in September.
"And they justify their actions [saying] that still the region is not ready, the Palestinians are not ready. So they took the position of Israel. And so that means we have to negotiate another 20 years. And I think this will be refused by the Palestinians," Kokali said.
Kokali also admitted Hamas had not agreed to pursue peace with Israel - one of the Quartet's key conditions for the admission of Hamas to the Palestinian Authority if it wishes to retain legitimacy.
"For Hamas there is no other choice so they will go for this [unity]," Kokali said. "But, if we are talking about principles, for example what will be the position with Hamas toward the peace process, or Fatah, this we will continue to negotiate later."
"We will continue to negotiate with Hamas about the peace process, about the peace with Israel, about the resistance, and what kind of resistance we need if peace fails .. this needs more negotiation," Kokali said.
Kokali's admission that Hamas only agreed to unity because it had no choice, and that Hamas' position vis-a-vis Fatah remained ambigous, underscores not only the tenuous nature of the agreement, but also the tenuous permanence any PA-Israel agreement would have.
It also buttresses concerns the inclusion of Hamas in the PA may lead to a Hamas takeover of PA areas in Judea and Samaria.
INN
