Saturday 5 March 2011

Hayya: Ballot boxes do not scare Hamas

[ 05/03/2011 - 07:09 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said Friday that ”ballot boxes do not scare Hamas”, referring to elections called for by the PLO due this September.

The statement came during a march called for by Hamas Friday afternoon that included Hamas leaders, Palestinian Legislative Council members, Palestinian government officials and tens of thousands of Palestinians chanting ”the people want an end to the Israeli occupation”.

”The ballot boxes do not scare Hamas. Hamas is in every house, and every soul, and every heart, and every street. It has its will, its gun, its martyrs, and it has its constants, and it does not fear the ballot boxes, ever,” Hayya said.

Hamas has opposed a decision for presidential and legislative elections made by the PLO, saying the national split must be ended before a vote can be taken.

Hayya said Hamas is sincere in calls to end the split. ”The causes of the split must be ended from their roots,” adding that the Palestinians must have leaders they trust.

”Neighboring people have only revolted against their regimes after these regimes had betrayed them,” Hayya said. ”The split will end when we have one leadership trusted with our constants, our prisoners, our martyrs and committed to Jerusalem and the refugees.”

Hayya also called for an end to the siege on Gaza. He said addressing those responsible for the siege, ”Have you no shame?! Has the time not come to end the siege and open the border crossings to import medicines, building materials and funds to rebuild what the occupation [Israel] destroyed.”

Addressing Egyptian leadership, he said: ”We hope you open the Rafah crossing and allow the Palestinians to travel. Brothers in Egypt, open the Rafah border crossing as both you and we want.”

Thousands chanted during the popular march ”the people want an end to the occupation, the people want an end to Israel, the people want an end to the siege, the people want an end to the split, the people want commitment to constants....the Egyptian army and Gaza are brothers and friends.”

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