AFP: Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal vowed Saturday that the new Palestinian government will not recognise Israel, regardless of mounting international pressure on the militant group to do so. TEHRAN, April 15, 2006 (AFP) – Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal vowed Saturday that the new Palestinian government will not recognise Israel, regardless of mounting international pressure on the militant group to do so.
“The pressure is aimed at making us change our political position, to recognise Israel and to give up the rights of the Palestinians. But Hamas will not give in to the pressure and will not recognise Israel,” he told state television.
Syrian-based Meshaal is in Tehran to attend a conference organized by the regime on supporting the Palestinians. In particular, he is seeking Iranian funds to fill the gap left by the suspension of US and European aid to the Palestinian Authority.
Meshaal repeated his view that is “is immoral and inhumane to collectively punish a nation which practices democracy. But the Palestinian nation will not give in.
“Islamic nations should support us financially, politically and spiritually against the US and Israeli drive to starve the Palestinians,” he added.
He said the new Palestinian administration has inherited not only an empty treasury, but 1.7 billion dollars in debts.
Meshaal said “170 million dollars a month is needed to run the administration, out of which 115 million dollars goes to paying salaries.”
When asked about what he thought would be a solution to the Palestinian problem, he replied that “the final solution would be an end to the Israeli occupation of our lands.
“There will be no stability in the region with the existence of Israel,” he added, repeating comments made on Friday by Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Hamas is under US and EU pressure to recognise Israel, renounce violence and honor agreements the Palestinian Authority has already made with the Jewish state.
