London- In the first public appearance of the new leader of Hamas in Gaza since his election, Hamas movement promised to sweep the enemy from Palestine, considering the two-state solution obsolete.
Yahya Sinwar was present at the opening of a mosque in Rafah on Friday accompanied by senior political leaders of the Islamist movement Khalil al-Haya and Ismail Haniyeh.
Sinwar himself made no statement at the event, but his predecessor Haniyeh paid tribute to the former prisoner who spent 25 years “in the jails of the Israeli occupation.”
“This is a source of pride for Hamas and for its prisoners,” Haniyeh told the crowd.
“The enemy’s media are trying to make a distinction between the military and political figures in Hamas, but we tell them we are all fighters and that in the face of the occupation we are all military,” the former premier said.
Haniyeh is considered a supporter of a relatively moderate element in Hamas, while Sinwar is a top commander in its armed wing and strong advocate of armed struggle against Israel.
For his part, al-Haya said that Palestinians would never accept their country to be divided.
“We will fight this enemy that is trying to devour the rest of the remaining land,” al-Haya said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978, Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs, offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials, as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.
Follow Me:
