Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Dubai
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in DubaiFlash 90

Speaking at a conference in Doha at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies on Islamists and democracy, Mashaal announced that was firstly a national liberation movement and secondly a political party.

There is no genuine Palestinian Authority as Palestinians are also in diaspora and the territory is under the occupation of the Israelis.

Mashaal said Hamas joined the Palestinian Authority in 2006 in part to try to rectify the mistakes of the Oslo peace process, a statement from ACRPS said.

He said that Hamas had struggled to reconcile its transition to government with its role as a resistance movement.

Mashaal says that Hamas will retain its form as a primarily resistance movement and that it has learned from its mistakes. He called on Arab countries to develop strong democratic paradigms. However he failed to define democracy.

The Euro democracy model, in which the majority party runs the government and the minority parties form an opposition, does not fit the needs of Arab, he said.

"Islamists, no matter how greater their power, cannot exclude others. Thus, there (should be) no reason for nationalists, liberals, or others to worry over the possibility that they will be left out." Mashaal was quoted as saying.

Mashaal urged Arab leaders to find a balance between domestic concerns and regional responsibilities.