The Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya, gave a speech on Tuesday which was televised throughout the country.. Speaking directly to he stated, "I say to the Israeli enemy to stop dreaming of internal chaos and political setbacks. We will make no concessions that do not benefit us all.”
“The Palestinian Parliament will continue to reflect the political spectrum and will continue to work to get out its message in defense of the rights of the Palestinian people and nation.” During his GazaCity speech Tuesday the Prime Minister said, “The occupation cannot lead us to a political coup in the Palestinian Parliament, because Parliament reflects the spectrum of political efforts.”
Haniya, issued words of solidarity with the government officials now in Israeli jails and spoke directly to the Israeli policy of arresting Palestinian Legislative Council members, Palestinian Authority ministers, and other elected officials.
He added, “We must be prepared to handle any schemes that the enemy is capable of implementing. We cannot allow the occupation to lead us to a political coup.”
The Prime Minister was alluding to the Israeli arrest campaign that may lead to replacing elected Palestinian officials who are now in Israeli prisons.
The Palestinian Legislative Council held a lengthy meeting today on the subject of imprisoned PLC members today, after which they said that the international community must intervene, not just condemn the Israeli actions.
“We know that we are talking about a continuation in the arrests and events that may lead to a constitutional or legal vacuum”, said Haniya.
The Prime Minister then laid out a plan. “Firstly we maintain our rights to establish an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty, with Jerusalem as its capital, the Right of Return for refugees and to garner the release of all prisoners.”
He added, “Secondly, we commit ourselves to protecting national unity and embrace any step that will enhance our unity. We will continue the discussion regarding forming a national unity government and applaud the efforts expended thus far.”
The Prime Minister continued. “Thirdly, we renew our commitment to the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to resist occupation, not only in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. After the war against the Israelis are escalating military actions, assassinations, citizen and official arrests, and beatings, thinking that they can break our will and we will abandon our right to resist. Therefore we must find our commitment to remain steadfast.”
“Finally,” the Prime Minister said, “we as the Legislative Council, call on the ArabStates, the Islamic States, and friendly countries to intervene to stop the political deterioration that the occupation seeks in the Palestinian arena and to secure the release of our deputies and all of our 10,000 political prisoners from Israeli jails."
