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Hamas leader discusses Palestinian unity with King of Jordan

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Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh had a rare phone conversation yesterday with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss the recently-signed Palestinian reconciliation agreement.

According to a Hamas statement, Haniyeh told Abdullah that Hamas is “serious” about implementing the reconciliation agreement and that Palestinian division is “behind us, as this stage requires Palestinian unity.”

Haniyeh added that Hamas rejects any alternative to a full liberation of Palestine, telling the King “Palestine is Palestine and Jordan is Jordan, and we will not allow any theories about the alternative homeland to pass in Jordan, which is an authentic Arab country with its own sovereignty, history and people.”

Jordan’s official news agency Petra reported that the King congratulated Haniyeh on signing the reconciliation agreement and reiterated Jordan’s full support of “the Palestinian brethren in facing challenges,” stressing the importance of “working hand-in-hand to defend our rights in Jerusalem and support the Palestinian issue”.

Hamas is not allowed any official presence in Jordan due to its link to the Muslim Brotherhood which is prohibited in Jordan as the monarchy believes it was trying to undermine its rule.

Despite the reconciliation agreement, signed in Cairo on 12 October, there is still disagreement about the status of Hamas’s military wing and security in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told Chinese media that reconciliation with Hamas would take time and should not be done hastily. He stressed the need for one Palestinian government with a monopoly on the use of force.

Also on Tuesday, Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, said that Hamas would not give up its weapons. “The Palestinian people is still in the stage of national liberation. It is impossible at this stage to give up [our] arms,” he said. Sinwar did suggest that Hamas’s weapons could “be under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation,” but stated that Hamas will neither recognise Israel nor concede on any of its principles.

Sinwar added that the PA would be taking charge of all the border crossings of the Gaza Strip at noon on 31 October, which may lead to the re-opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.