GAZA: Islamic Jihad rejects Hamas call to join next Palestinian government

Record ID: 408728

  • Title: GAZA: Islamic Jihad rejects Hamas call to join next Palestinian government
  • Date: 22nd February 2006
  • Summary: (EU)GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP (FEBRUARY 20, 2006) (REUTERS) ISLAMIC JIHAD LEADERS ARRIVING FOR MEETING WITH HAMAS LEADER AND NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT MEMBER MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR AL-ZAHAR WELCOMING ISLAMIC JIHAD LEADER; ISLAMIC JIHAD LEADERS AND AL-ZAHAR KISSING, WALKING INSIDE MEETING
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEWOC5H5S2YKHB4VB9S5ADQIQ5
  • Story Text: Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad turned down an invitation by Hamas on Monday (February 20, 2006) to join the next Palestinian government, an Islamic Jihad leader said.
    "Our brothers in Hamas surely offered us to take part in this government and we made our position clear and that is that we will not participate. But at the same time we told them that we will cooperate with our brothers in Hamas to defend the rights of our people and protect their well being," Islamic Jihad leader Nafez Azzam told reporters after talks with Hamas officials in Gaza.
    Islamic Jihad had said before the meeting it feared a Hamas-led government would be restricted in its policy by interim Israeli-Palestinian peace accords, which both militant groups reject. Hamas said that despite Islamic Jihad's decision, it would leave the door open for the group to join the government in the future.
    Hamas said that despite Islamic Jihad's decision, it would leave the door open for the group to join the government in the future.
    Islamic Jihad boycotted the Feb. 25 Palestinian parliamentary election in which Hamas crushed the long-dominant Fatah faction of President Mahmoud Abbas.
    Hamas has largely abided by a ceasefire Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas forged with Israel a year ago, but Islamic Jihad has carried out several suicide bombings in the Jewish state in recent months, calling them retaliation for Israeli operations against its fighters.
    Hamas, which is dedicated to Israel's destruction, has said it hopes to establish as broad a coalition as possible.
    Negotiations over a new government were still under way between Hamas and different Palestinian factions, including PFLP (Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine), a group involved in a more than 5-year-old Palestinian uprising, and DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine).
    Hamas negotiations were taking place amid Israeli and foreign financial sanctions in a bid to pressure the militant group to recognise Israel and to renounce violence.
    Israeli cabinet on Sunday (February 19) decided to halt its monthly transfer of millions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority.
    Abbas said the move had plunged the Palestinians into a "financial crisis", and was scheduled to meet with Hamas leadership later on Monday.
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