Hamas: PLO won't be monopolized again
Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal hints of coming reunion among Palestinian leadership; says once Hamas becomes part of Palestine Liberation Organization's umbrella 'political decisions will no longer be one-sided'
"No one can monopolize the PLO anymore and political decisions will no longer be one-sided," Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal said Friday, following Gaza Strip's rulers' decision to join the Palestine Liberation Organization's umbrella.
Mashaal met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo on Thursday, and finalized Hamas' association with the usually Fatah-dominated organization.
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The two were reportedly joined by senior members of the Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Frenemies? Mashaal and Abbas (Photo: Reuters)
The Palestinian factions agreed to form a committee which will make the necessary changes to the PLO's bodies, ahead of the Palestinian National Council elections.
The committee will include senior Hamas and Fatah legislators and is set to begin its work in February.
The decision effectively paves the way for Hamas to take an active part in the administration of the Palestinian Authority; and may also lead to the future joining of the Islamic Jihad.
Mashaal noted that the PLO must be "reconstructed," and expressed optimism as to the new agreement between the longtime rival Palestinian factions.
Should the agreement mature, it would signify a historic unity within the Palestinian leadership.
Last weekend Abbas declared that Fatah has been able to convince Hamas to "relinquish terror in favor of peaceful resistance."
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