A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
(Full Story)
Search This Blog
Back to 500BC.
==========================
Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Hamas recognises PLO as 'national framework' for Palestinians
Movement
says Palestine Liberation Organisation should serve national project
and ensure Palestinian rights in new political document
A supporter and daughter commemorate the 29th anniversary of Hamas in Gaza in December (AFP)
David Hearst-Monday 1 May 2017
Hamas has officially recognised the Palestine Liberation Organisation
(PLO) as the "national framework" for the Palestinian people, but calls
for it to be "rebuilt on democratic foundations to safeguard Palestinian
rights".
The historic recognition is contained in a new "reference" document
unveiled in Doha on Monday, and stands in stark contrast to its original
charter which was written as an alternative to the PLO.
Hamas calls for the PLO to be rebuilt. It states: "It should therefore
be preserved, developed and rebuilt on democratic foundations so as to
secure the participation of all the constituents and forces of the
Palestinian people, in a manner that safeguards Palestinian rights."
It should therefore be preserved, developed and rebuilt on democratic foundations- Hamas document
In addition Hamas affirms the role of the Palestinian Authority "to
serve the Palestinian people and safeguard their security, their rights
and their national project".
For the first time, too, Hamas has formally accepted the borders of 4
June, 1967 for a Palestinian state. The acceptance falls far short of a
two state solution, as Hamas refuses to recognise Israel, or "any
alternative to full and complete liberation of Palestine from the river
to the sea."
It also rejects the Oslo Accords and all agreements that stem from them.
It says it is only accepting the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its
capital and return of refugees to their homes, as a "formula for
national consensus".
Speaking in Doha after the unveiling of the document on Monday, Hamas
political leader Khaled Meshaal said the document aimed to make "crystal
clear" what Hamas actually believed.
“Hamas movement is a viable, renewable developing movement in their
ideologically awareness and political performance as much as it is
developing in its struggle and fighting aspects," he said.
“It is a natural outcome of the development of Hamas as a movement.”
He added that Hamas was "developing without losing the core principles
or waiving the established rights and demands of our people.”
A Hamas source told MEE: "This is not the two-state solution, because
each state will not recognise each other. Maybe some Arab states will be
happy to hear about the '67 borders, but the conditions made to accept
this will not be accepted by the Arab Peace Initiative."
"When we talk about the right of return, not accepting Israel's right to
exist, not surrendering any part of Palestine, Israel will not be happy
with this. This is not made to please any one of these external actors.
This is made for and by the people of the movement to express
themselves."
Israel immediately rubbished the document. David Keyes, a spokesman for
the prime minister's office, said: "Hamas is attempting to fool the
world but it will not succeed.
"They build terror tunnels and have launched thousands upon thousands of
missiles at Israeli civilians. This is the real Hamas."
Hamas says international and divine law allows resistance 'by any method or means' (Reuters)
The third major pledge of the document issued on Monday is to state that
Hamas's fight is with Zionism not Judaism. This is the biggest
departure from its original charter, which was widely condemned both by
liberals inside the movement and critics outside as being crudely
anti-Semitic.
The new document states: "Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the
Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion. Hamas does
not wage a struggle against Jews because they are Jewish but wages a
struggle against the Zionists who occupy Palestine."
Although it continues to add the caveat that Zionism refers to Judaism and the Jews in identifying the land of Israel.
The status of the new document has been the subject of internal debate.
Hamas officials say the document is meant as a new "reference point",
although it does not replace its original charter which was written in
1988 when the movement was establishing itself.
Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion- Hamas document
A source with knowledge of the internal process which produced the
document said: "Hamas is very sensitive because of the PLO's history,
when the PLO was pressed into cancelling its charter.
"Hamas will not do so under pressure. This is why it is sensitive to say that the document is replacing the charter."
However the source said that unlike the charter, which was written by
one man, Monday's document was the product of four years of internal
debate and has reached a wide consensus throughout the movement.
There are a number of other departures in the document which is attempting to modernise Hamas's political vision and objectives.
The document makes no mention of the Muslim Brotherhood, which in effect
abandons the connection which was stated explicitly in the 1988
charter.
It only says that Hamas is a Palestinian, national movement "with an Islamic reference".
Hamas says women 'play a fundamental role in building the present and the future' (AFP)
It also mentions Christian Palestinians and their holy places, and is clearer about the importance of women and youth.
The document states: "Palestinian women play a fundamental role in the
process of building the present and the future, just as they have played
a fundamental role in the history of the Palestinian struggle. It is a
pivotal role in the project of resistance, liberation and building the
political system."
Whereas the Hamas charter took armed struggle as the basis of resistance
to the establishment of Israel, the new document also refers to
non-violent resistance.
It says: "Managing resistance, in terms of escalation or de-escalation,
or in terms of diversifying the means and methods, is an integral part
of the process of managing the conflict and should not be at the expense
of the principle of resistance."
Compensation to the Palestinian refugees... goes hand in hand with their right to return- Hamas document
It also refers to the role of Palestinian civil society in achieving an
end of the occupation: "Palestinian society is enriched by its prominent
personalities, figures, dignitaries, civil society institutions, and
youth, students, trade unionist and women's groups who together work for
the achievement of national goals and societal building, pursue
resistance and achieve liberation."
On one seminal point, the new document hardens Hamas's official
language. It says that Hamas rejects all attempts to erase the rights of
the refugees, including the attempts to settle them outside Palestine
and the projects of the alternative homeland.
"Compensation to the Palestinian refugees for the harm they have
suffered as a consequence of banishing them and occupying their land is
an absolute right that goes hand in hand with their right to return," it
says.
"They are to receive compensation upon their return and this does not negate or diminish their right to return."
The document is regarded as the last act of Meshaal, who is stepping down as leader of Hamas's political bureau.