Following major policy speeches by US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and even the PA’s prime minister Salam Fayyad in the past three weeks, it will now be the turn of Khaled Mashaal of Hamas.
Mashaal, scheduled to give an address Thursday afternoon or evening in Damascus, was supposed to speak on Saturday, but postponed it until after Fayyad’s address this past Monday. Based in Syria, Mashaal heads the diplomatic desk of the Hamas terrorist organization.
Though Hamas officials have said openly that they seek the destruction of Israel, Mashaal said this week he would be willing to sign an agreement with Israel on condition that Hamas is allowed to retain its arms. Hamas is responsible for the murder of hundreds of Israelis over the past several years. In addition, Hamas warred with Fatah two years ago when it took over control of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas Toughens Stand on Shalit
Mashaal is likely to refer in his speech to the continued captivity of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted three years ago by Gaza Hamas terrorists. Mashaal has repeatedly blamed Israel for refusing to release the 1,000 terrorists that Hamas demands.
A Hamas spokesman said on Thursday that it cannot be confirmed whether Shalit is alive or not, but that Hamas still expects Israel to negotiate his exchange for imprisoned convicted terrorist murderers.
Fayyad's Speech
Fatah’s Fayyad, in his speech, said he envisioned a Palestinian state in two years’ time, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu has clearly stated that Jerusalem will remain undivided and under Israeli sovereignty forever.
Fayyad also called for a boycott of Israeli goods, particularly those made in Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. He said that his government will deal “very seriously” with these goods, and said that Europe could also be requested to boycott them.
After Netanyahu’s speech, in which he called for a demilitarized PA state that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state, Fayyad said, “Netanyahu has destroyed any chance for negotiations.”
Hamas vs. Fatah
Hamas, for its part, slammed the speech, saying Fayyad is an “illegal premier [who] doesn't have the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinians." A Hamas spokesman said, "Fayyad is begging the Israelis for peace following Netanyahu's speech."
Islamic Jihad May Merge With Hamas
While Fatah and Hamas show no signs of unity, another radical terrorist group, Islamic Jihad, is showing signs of wanting to merge with Hamas. The main reason: Lack of funds. Even if the merger goes through, some Islamic Jihad leaders are likely to remain out of the picture, and will perhaps form their own group. One Islamic Jihad leader recently walked out in anger when a Hamas official publicly criticized Fatah for arresting its opponents in Islamic Jihad – “neglecting” to mention that Hamas does the same in Gaza.