Nassif: Ballot boxes to show that Hamas is still popular

Nassif: Ballot boxes to show that Hamas is still popular

– Ra”fat Nassif, one of the prominent Hamas political leaders in the West Bank, has affirmed that his Movement was confident of winning any elections in the Palestinian lands provided that they are held on legal time.

Nassif, in an interview with “Palestine” newspaper published on Sunday, refuted claims that Hamas was afraid of early elections, explaining that his Movement was only against changing its legal timing.


He underlined that PA chief Mahmoud Abbas”s term in office expires on 9th January 2009 and hence presidential elections should be held accordingly, but, he noted, legislative elections are due in 2010.


“When the legal time for the legislative elections are due we will prove to the world that we back election and we will secure a sweeping victory,” he elaborated.


Elections will prove that the Palestinian people reject those who deviate from the national project and insist on frivolous negotiations that are only a waste of time, the spokesman underlined.


He also said that Hamas would never give up resistance, and denied claims that it had deviated from the path of its historic leaders topped by martyrs Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Dr. Abdul Aziz Rantisi.


Hamas champions national cohesion and unity, Nassif said, adding that it had exerted and still is exerting all efforts possible to reach this “noble goal”.


The spokesman, who was speaking on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of Hamas”s inception, said that future is for Hamas, pointing to its daily growth.


Hamas is used to challenges, Nassif said, adding that his Movement had proven it was capable of confronting those challenges and emerging more powerful than ever before.