[News] Hamas leader Meshaal: We are ready to coexist with Jews, but not 'occupiers'

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*Meshaal: We are ready to coexist with Jews, but not 'occupiers'*
*
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=716621*
Published yesterday (updated) 28/07/2014 13:57
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israel resumed its bombardment of the Gaza Strip 
for the 20th day on Sunday afternoon, as Hamas leader Meshaal stressed 
that the group was ready to "coexist with the Jews" but would not 
tolerate "occupiers."

The Israeli assault on Gaza continued after Prime Minister Benjamin 
Netanyahu refused to renew a ceasefire agreed to earlier in the day 
after he claimed Palestinian militants had violated earlier truces.

At least two Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in Israeli 
airstrikes and shelling from land and sea on Sunday evening, as the 
total Palestinian toll in the deadly assault hit 1,032 with more than 
6,200 injured. Israeli forces have also killed 11 Palestinians in 
solidarity protests across the West Bank.

Of the total, 13 Palestinians were killed Sunday morning by Israeli 
forces during the ceasefire, while 117 bodies were recovered on Saturday 
as medics had access to large areas that had been off-limits during an 
agreed-upon humanitarian ceasefire that lasted 16 hours.

On Sunday afternoon, after the expiration of that ceasefire, Hamas 
announced that all militant groups would be respecting a 24-hour 
ceasefire beginning at 2 p.m.

But as Israeli airstrikes continued and officials announced their 
rejection, rocket fire continued from the Gaza Strip, injuring one 
Israeli civilian.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military's death toll in the conflict hit 43 
overnight, while three civilians in Israeli have been killed as well.

*'I'm ready to coexist with the Jews' *

Hamas continued to insist that any lasting ceasefire must be based on an 
Israeli lifting of the blockade on Gaza, with leader Khaled Meshaal 
warning that Palestinians cannot coexist with their neighbors while 
their land is occupied in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

On Saturday, Meshaal was interviewed by US broadcaster PBS in the Qatari 
capital Doha while in Gaza the party was under assault from Israeli 
forces in renewed fighting.

A full version of the interview will be broadcast late on Monday, but 
excerpts were revealed on Sunday on CBS News' "Face the Nation."

Asked by veteran interviewer Charlie Rose whether he could foresee 
living beside Israelis in peace, Meshaal said only a future Palestinian 
state could decide whether to recognize Israel.

"We are not fanatics, we are not fundamentalists. We are not actually 
fighting the Jews because they are Jews per se. We do not fight any 
other races. We fight the occupiers," he said.

"I'm ready to coexist with the Jews, with the Christians and the Arabs 
and non-Arabs," he said. "However, I do not coexist with the occupiers."

Pressed on whether Palestinians could recognize the state of Israel as a 
Jewish state, Meshaal reiterated Hamas' position -- the group does not 
recognize Israel.

"When we have a Palestinian state then the Palestinian state will decide 
on its policies. You cannot actually ask me about the future. I answered 
you," he said.

"But Palestinian people can have their say when they have their own 
state without occupation."

Hamas declared a 24-hour ceasefire on Sunday, but fighting continued in 
Gaza and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces would 
push on with attempts to destroy the group's tunnel network.
-- 
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