Haniyeh: 'We'll quit voluntarily, we'll support new unity government'
EXCLUSIVE IMAGES
Former
Palestinian Prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday afternoon that
his cabinet "will quit voluntarily" and he would support the new unity
government.
Speaking
at a press conference following the swearing in of the national unity
government, Haniyeh said that last-minute disputes over foreign minister
Riyadh al-Maliki and the prisoners' ministry were not intended to
undermine the efforts of the new government.
"In
the end, we accepted Al-Al Maliki, but insisted that the prisoners'
ministry has to remain part of the new government," he said. "The
prisoners are part of the Palestinian principles. We agreed that it
remains a portfolio without a minister," he added.
About
the basis on which Hamas left the government, Haniyeh said: "We handed
over the government on the basis of the Palestinian principles,
including commitment to the liberation of the Palestinian lands and
prisoners, as well as serving the Palestinian people."
While
speaking to journalists, Haniyeh counted the achievements of his
government. "We protected the Palestinian principles, resistance,
institutions, internal security and retention of infrastructure
projects," he said.
"We
regained regional and international consideration of the Palestinian
issue as one of liberation and not a humanitarian issue," he added.
About
the tasks of the new government, he said: "It has to end the 8-year old
siege on Gaza, reconstruction of homes and institutions destroyed by
Israeli occupation in two major wars, prepare for parliamentary and
presidential elections, prepare for reformation of Palestinian
institutions and carry out a social reconciliation."
Haniyeh
said: "We will support the new government and will cooperate with the
new ministers regarding the infrastructure projects in order to maintain
continuation of these projects. Reconciliation does not mean only
ending the division, but agreement and cooperation."
He
insisted that all files were agreed to be carried out simultaneously
based on what was agreed in Cairo and Doha. He thanked Qatar and Egypt
for their role in ending the division and thanked Qatar and Turkey for
supporting the Palestinians during the siege.
At
the end of his briefing, he thanked the Palestinians for bearing the
siege and consequences of resistance. He also apologised to them for
their sufferings resulting from the internal division.
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