Khaled Mashaal, who is in charge of Hamas' foreign policy, said on Saturday that it is a mistake to wait for developments in the international arena that will lead to the settlement of the Palestinian issue, adding that that the Palestinians must act to shape their future.
Mashaal noted that the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and its focus on developments in China and Russia opens up an opportunity for the countries of the region to play an influential independent role in a way that will serve the Palestinian issue.
He said Israel no longer serves as an arm of the US in the region, that the IDF has lost its image as an undefeated military, that Israel's legitimacy in the world is eroding and the boycott movement against Israel is growing stronger.
The Palestinian goals, Mashaal said, include adherence to the right of return, the release of security prisoners, the development of patterns of resistance and the lifting of the siege on the Gaza Strip.