Rajoub to Al Mayadeen: We have one enemy, Israeli enemy

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The Secretary of the Central Committee of the Fatah movement, Jibril Rajoub, revealed that "Algeria launched an initiative months ago to listen to all Palestinian parties and components."

In an interview featured in Hatta Al-Quds [Until Al-Quds] program on Al Mayadeen, Rajoub explained today that “in a positive spirit and good intentions, the brothers in the Algerian revolution began a few months ago an initiative to listen to all Palestinian parties and components,” and that “on the anniversary of the Algerian revolution, the meeting took place between President Abu Mazen [Palestenian authority head Mahmoud Abbass] and brother Abu Al-Abed [Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of Hamas], and there is no need to burden this meeting more than it is bearable.”

He added, "I hope that the brothers in Hamas will present a clear message about the mechanisms for building the Palestinian national partnership, which must be based on establishing a state in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab initiative."

Rajoub: We are concerned with ending the division and building a national partnership

Regarding the nature of the relationship with Hamas and the prospect of Palestinian reconciliation, Rajoub said: “We are open to Hamas, and it is our responsibility to meet, agree and end the painful situation for all Palestinians, but the meeting that took place did not have a political platform or ground and did not come out with a statement to agree on dialogue mechanisms.” 

He continued, "We are concerned in ending the division and building a national partnership based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the 1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital, the right of refugees to return, and the development of the rules of engagement's concept with the occupation from a national perspective with a national consensus, and the shape of the state we want to build."

The official in Fatah confirmed to Al Mayadeen: “We want a democratic state with political pluralism, one authority, law, and one weapon, if the brothers in Hamas see that there is consensus on these points," adding that 'the brothers in Hamas' do not have a problem with the initiative, noting that “the partnership is built through a democratic process and free and direct elections, not through bullet boxes.”

Rajoub added, "We are ready to resume the construction process," and asked the Hamas movement "whether they are part of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine or part of the national liberation movement with its Islamic dimension."

Guarantees from Saudi Arabia

With regard to the normalization of some Arab regimes with the occupation and the Palestinian position on it, Rajoub said: “We are still betting on the Saudi rejection of any normalization before the Palestinian issue is resolved, and we have promises from some Arab parties who will participate in this conference that it will not be at the expense of the Palestinian cause or to perpetuate the occupation.”

In his interview with Al Mayadeen, Rajoub revealed that Fatah "has guaranteed that Saudi Arabia will not go to normalization before the Palestinian problem is resolved, and from more than one Arab country, led by Saudi Arabia, that what is said in the media will not be translated on the ground, and we trust what we have heard and from whom we have heard."

Biden's administration is no different from its predecessors

Regarding relations with the US administration during the era of President Joe Biden, Rajoub pointed out that in Fatah, "we noticed that this administration is no different from its predecessors, and it did not live up to our minimum aspirations, and the Palestinian situation is not a priority for them."

He said, "We have one enemy, and it is the Israeli enemy, and the compass should not change for any other place," adding, "The Arab countries that are supposed to be a pressure factor for our interest do not exist," noting that there were contacts that asked, "not to interfere with Biden's visit to the region."

Rajoub continued, "We hope the brothers in Hamas will realize the importance of unity," stressing that "Our enemy is neither Iran nor Turkey. We, as Arabs, as a region, and as Muslims, have our priority here."