- May 21, 2006
- 17 minutes read
Interview With Vice Chairman of Hamas Parliamentary Bloc

From Gaza, Ikhwanweb had the following interview with Mr. Yahaya Mosa al-Abadsi also known as Abu Anas, the vice chairman of Hamas Parliamentary bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) He shed the lights on these controversial issues
-Hamas-Led Government Faces Huge Obstacles
–Taking the Role of Government; the Core of Dispute on Power, Palestinian Government led by the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas faces dangerous challenges in its way to stabilize the Palestinian cause.
–Insistence of PA President Mahmoud Abbas on reinforcing a parallel government under his control to replace the Hamas led Government arouses an open-ended dispute on power on the Palestinian political arena.
1. Mr. Yahya Mosa, What are the main challenges facing the Palestinian government led by Hamas?
From the first side, the main challenge is the political one that is represented in embracing, at the same time, the path of resistance and the path of the civil work. To give both ways the same weight is considered a big challenge. Another main challenge is the transmission of the Islamic Resistance Movement from being a revolutionary and opposition party to be a party abides to the civil needs of its people such as education economy and security.
From the second side, regarding the internal Palestinian front, achieving national agreement and unity on the ground and persuading all Palestinian parties with a new national comprehensive program, which represent a crane for the Palestinian reality, are also important challenges. Therefore, we seek the national dialogue.
From the third side, addressing the Arab and Islamic worlds with a united view in order to return with the Palestinian Issue to its Arabic and Islamic frame and trying to break the external political and economical siege and pulling the International Community to vote for erasing the occupation, represent also considerable challenges.
2. You spoke about the economic siege, which is considered as the most complicated problem you have, what do you think of that?
Frankly, the economical siege is not only internal. It has several dimensions. The first one is represented by the International siege led by America, and the other dimension is represented by the Arabic and Islamic ignorance for that siege, and the third dimension is represented by the corruption of some of late leaders of the Palestinians got personal benefit of the past 12 years of corruption and illegal situation.
3. Could you name few of the late corrupted leaders you have spoken about and clarify their role, please?
It is not necessary to speak elaborately on this issue in order not to arouse tension in the Palestinian street and to keep the general mood silent; however, we are waiting for a national dialogue. However, I can give some hints: all those who became rich in an illegal way, whether they were the leaders of the PA or the leaders of the security services or some of the private sector’s investors.
There is an alliance among all of those aiming at toppling this government that demolishes their dreams. Those people who led the Palestinians for about 12 years and monopolized their abilities for personal benefit are afraid of being removed by the new government. So that, they always instigate the Palestinian president in order to find new situation that can paralyze the work of the government.
4. You said that such people are afraid of being removed, how will your reform take place if you do not think seriously of removing them?
To find confidence takes a long time. Therefore, we encourage more dialogues and clear common programs, which may shorten the way of reform. This will lessens their fear because we have a clear program that is not built on getting rid of any one. We extend our hands for all, but there is a small group which Fatah itself has suffered of before Hamas. Therefore, such this group will be eliminated.
5. Regarding Resistance, how will you conjoin between resistance and the political work?
First, resistance does not mean only military action, but it is also the social work, the political work and so on. In our program, we adopt all of these forms of resistance that can go in parallel ways and can be agreed upon nationally. We do not practice military resistance at this time, but we protect and legalize it. We will not denounce it any time. However, how will we practice it depends on operational tactics and reality on the ground.
6. We hear that there are calls for new PLC elections. What do you think of these calls?
This is a red line in the Palestinian street since the elections were conducted and the legal period of the PLC is 4 years. We believe in the rotation of authority. The authority of law and the respect of the basic constitution and the Palestinian foundations. Therefore, it is possible to speak about changes in the executive authorities, but not about new PLC elections, as there is not any justification for it.
It is better for those who issue such calls to speak about how to arrange the Palestinian home rather than speaking about new PLC elections. Why haven’t they brought up this issue during the period of the late PLC, which its legal period has expired more than one time?
No one can call for new PLC elections, even if he was the President. The Palestinian constitution supports our position.
7. Regarding your relation with the President and the dispute over power, what is the essence of this dispute and when will it come to an end?
We consider that law obligates the authority of the President and the president does not have executive authority. His authority is related to sovereignty and approving issues. However, the government administers the operational and executive authorities. So that, it is not possible for the president to become a presidential foundation to take the competencies of the government in order to substitute it. This is the core of the dispute on power.
8. What is the anticipated national dialogue?
The first part of that agenda is concerned with the rearrangement of the Palestinian home, specially, regarding the PLO. How will it be a historical reference and an umbrella for all the Palestinian parties.
The second part of the agenda is related to the oppressive siege against our people. We will discuss the catastrophic unilateral plan announced by Olmert who wants to seize a big part from the West Bank under the call: there is no real Palestinian partner. This demands us to mobilize our power and resistance to be able to face this Zionist plan.
9. What is the benefit of such dialogue at a time when some Palestinian parties do not abide by its findings?
In this dialogue, we will discuss and find mechanisms that obligate all parties to implement the agreements reached in the Cairo Understandings and other similar national dialogues. Nevertheless, the executive authority and, specially, Abu Mazen has not activated the findings of the Cairo Agreement related to the PLO. Therefore, we face a crisis now regarding this issue.
10. What about the Palestinian Jordanian relations at this time? We see that Amman insists on accusing Hamas of smuggling weapons and Abbas believes it, while Hamas refuses.
We believe that this is a fabricated crisis comes in the same context of the siege and the American pressure on the regimes of Arab brothers. We look, with great sorrow, at these fabrications, but I think that is a temporary situation; and the common future of both nations will identify the nature of the future relation.
Besides, suppose that there is some truth to what happened. The ideal solution must not be through mass media, press conferences or accusations. I want to know who is the beneficiary of proving in all ways that Hamas is a terrorist organization. This is forbidden in the Arabic national relations. It is a mistake committed by the Jordanian regime and we regret this step, which opposes all the positions by the Arab League, the Arabic values and the fateful relation between both nations.
Hamas has not lost anything, but won the feelings of all the Arab nations. Jordan is the losing side in this battle as all public surveys show that more than 85% of the Arabs do not believe this fabrication. The Jordanian regime should have corrected its mistake from the beginning.
Despite that, we, at Hamas, the Palestinian government and the PLC, confirm that the Palestinian government must be close to all our Arab brothers even if they committed bigger mistakes than that of Jordan because all of us have the same common fate.
11. Mr. Mosa, Jordan deals with this issue as it is real, however, you deal with it as it is an imagination. What are the proofs of your situation?
It is known that the right notion is when someone accuses someone else; the suspect demands the proofs of the accuser. Nevertheless, when the accuser demands the suspect to prove his innocence, it is the wrong notion.
In addition, Hamas has a clean history with all. What is the benefit of Hamas behind this matter, especially in this time to instigate tension in the Jordanian land or in any Arabic country? If there is an interest for Hamas, it would be any time rather than this time because that will increase the strictness of the siege on the Palestinian government at the time we are trying to elevate it.
So that, all the political analysts all over the world see that the Jordanian regime has been sunk to the neck in the wrong direction.
Moreover, the West Bank was occupied while being under the Jordanian control. Thus, Jordan bears the national and ethical responsibility for its liberation. Therefore, Jordan should enter weapons, recruit and send fighters and support our nation in the West Bank and eliminate the siege instead of trying to prove that Hamas and the Palestinians are terrorists.
12. Mr. Abbu Anas, What about the financial crisis which paralyzes all sides in the PA territories?
I want to ask a question: What is the cause of such situation? The answer is the occupation, which is killing us, confiscate and Judaize our land. So, all of us are required to face this occupation and hold it responsible for our crises. We live in an authority under the control of the occupation, which manages all our resources, and we do not enjoy independence. Therefore, our duty is to face this aggression which the US, EU and Israel are all partners in it. To hunger, suffer and live under siege is our fate as an occupied nation required to face the occupier. However, the duty of our Government is to try to knock all doors in order to end this siege whether with our Arab brothers, the international regimes and the internal national situation by strengthening its position.
The problem is not how to get money, but how to get money in. All the Arab countries are demanded to do that. I am wondering how such big countries like Egypt or Jordan cannot get money in for us. However, the problem is that there is not a political will for the current regimes to end the siege. In addition, Abu Mazen is able to end the siege through the Palestinian Investment Fund or the Monetary Authority. However, as I have said that all sides are partners in this siege.
13. Do you think that the government will collapse amidst this crisis?
You have to know that the fall of a government and the rise of another is not a great thing. I am confident that the current government will not collapse because the nature of the siege and the appearance of the external enemy reinforce the government’s position. What overthrows the government is the internal corruption, which is not found in this one.
14. Do you think that the current government can continue without external help?
We can stand without the help of the US and EU. What we have from the Arabs is enough. However, the money of taxes frozen by Israel is our right.
If America does not want to pay, it is up to it. However, we will not bargain our principles for money. Furthermore, the aids are our right as Israel was found on our land by a UN decision so that all the member countries in the UN, specially the great ones, are morally responsible for us.
15. These countries agree to pay for your pains, but they ask you to comply with its principles such as recognizing Israel, adopting the choice of negotiation and the decisions of the International Legitimacy and so on. What do you say?
Let us see! Are these countries complying with the International legitimacy? America with all the countries we speak about, have voted for the UN decision #194 which is related to the right of return, from 1948 to 1994. Have they implemented it? Of course, not. There are other decisions such as the one prevents occupying the lands of others by force and the one that guarantees protecting civilians. Have they implemented them? Of course, not. The UN decision 181 demands the establishment of a Palestinian state beside a Jewish state. The Jewish state was established, why don’t they comply with the establishment of the Palestinian state.
I say that They don’t recognize these decisions, but they deal with the International Legitimacy and the UN with blind eyes to implementing their plans and support the “Zionist entity” They themselves must respect the International Legitimacy.
16. Don’t you think that you once may reach a point at which you will recognize Israel?
Recognition is something related to sovereignty. When we have a sovereign state with known borders, then there may be speech about recognition. However, as we are a faction, no one has the right to ask us for recognition. When the Israeli elections get a new faction on power, we do not ask it to recognize us.
However, the PLO has recognized Israel, and has got nothing.
17. Do you think that such issues may undergo national referendum as Dr Mahmoud al-Zahar said previously?
We are not in need for conducting referendum on such issue. For example, is it reasonable to prepare staffs for making referendums on whether the sun is found or not. Such issues are not a subject of referendums. These are our rights.
18. Mr. Mosa, Saudi Arabia and Egypt asked your government to adopt the Arabic Initiative. Will you agree or not?
We have said our word regarding the Arab and the International initiatives. We are not the problem, but the occupiers are the problem. If any initiative guarantees the establishment of any Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, the liberation of Jerusalem and the return of the refugees, we would be ready to. If the Arabic Initiative guarantees that, we would support it. And also, if Abu Mazen achieved that, we would support him.
In addition, what is the value of any initiative if the occupation refuses it? Therefore, it is a wrong tactic.
19. You have said that you do not oppose if Abu Mazen negotiates Israel. Don’t you see that this will oblige you to comply with what Abu Mazen does?
We are not afraid. We are confident that the president rows in the air because there is not a political horizon with the occupation. We gave him our red line: Jerusalem, right of return and a state on the 1967 borders. Moreover, at the end, any agreement he comes with, people are the ruler.
20. What do you think of Olmert’s plan in which he said that he would end the Palestinian resistance within this year?
His lord, Sharon, said that he would end resistance within100 days. He has gone, and resistance is still continuous. The Israeli leaders suffer from a deep and chronic crisis so that they announce such declarations. Resistance is not related to Hamas, Fatah, or any faction. Resistance is continuous as there is occupation.
21. What about the accusations that Hamas is a part form al-Qaeda?
They are nonsense. Al Qaeda and Hamas belong to completely different schools. Hamas belongs to a contemporary Islamic, cultured, moderate and national school. The main and central project of Hamas is Palestine, however, the project of al-Qaeda is based on the elimination of the American existence from the Arabic Island and it is related with the whole Islamic world and the Arab regimes. So that, al-Qaeda have not yet implemented any operation related solely with Palestine.
22. What do you say to those who accuse you of being and axis of evil in the Middle East in addition to Syria and Iran?
No one can nominate himself as a representative of values in order to classify this and that as an axis of evil or good, specially, when the one who claims that is the source of evil in this world, Bush.