Islamic Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniya gives a speech in Gaza City, on July 5, 2017. Islamic Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniya on Wednesday called for forming a Palestinian unity government and preparing for holding general elections in and beyond the Palestinian territories. Haniya made the remarks in an aired public speech he addressed to the Palestinians. It is his first speech since he was elected chief of the movement's politburo on May 6. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar)
GAZA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement leader Ismail Haniya on Wednesday called for forming a Palestinian unity government and preparing for holding general elections in and beyond the Palestinian territories.
Haniya made the remarks in an aired public speech he addressed to the Palestinians. It is his first speech since he was elected chief of the movement's politburo on May 6.
"I call on all Palestinian factions to start forming a clear and specific political program based on common interests and focuses on the goals of our people," said Haniya, adding "I call on the factions to form a national unity government that fulfills its commitment to our people in the West bank, Gaza and everywhere."
He also said that he was willing to end the ten years of internal division with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah Party, on the conditions of cutting down security coordination and cooperation with Israel in the West Bank.
Abbas took a series of unprecedented measures against Hamas, based on cutting salaries of employees and stopping paying for electricity and fuels, aiming at exerting pressure on the movement to accept his terms for ending division.
Haniya also said that he calls for the preparations for holding the Palestinian elections, presidential and legislative and set up a date for holding it, adding "Hamas doesn't fear from the elections to join it."
He went on saying that he has discussed with Egypt on the question of reconciliation during the visit of Hamas delegation to Cairo last month, declaring that Hamas "has opened a new page in the relationship with Egypt."
Ties between Hamas and Egypt deteriorated after the Islamic movement expressed support for the ousted former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, a group blacklisted by the current Egyptian administration.
Egyptian courts outlawed Hamas and its armed wing al-Qassam Brigades. The Egyptian media accused Hamas of backing opposition military groups in Egypt that aimed at disturbing the Egyptian security.
