Mesha'al to British MPs: The only door to peace is ending the Israeli occupation

Mesha'al to House of Commons: The only door to peace is to end the occupation

[ 23/04/2009 - 09:10 AM ]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)--

Khaled Mesha'al, the head of the Hamas political bureau, told Wednesday evening a number of members of the British House of Commons through video conferencing that the only door to peace in the Middle East is to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination.

Mesha'al told the audience that the resistance is a means and not a goal, saying that if Hamas found a way other than the resistance to end the occupation, it would use it.

He added that Hamas is a national liberation movement seeking to dispose of the occupation and enable the Palestinian people to restore their freedom and legitimate rights. The political leader of Hamas underlined that the Israeli occupation would not be able to defeat the Palestinians despite its possession of massive military force, noting that Israel tried many times to settle the fight militarily, but it failed.

Mesha'al noted that Europe is an important player in the region and has experience not owned by others, stressing that his Movement expects a positive role from the Europeans towards the Palestinian cause.

The video conferencing encountered technical problems that prevented Mesha'al from communicating properly with the British lawmakers.

The televised meeting with Mesha'al was organized by British MP Clare Short, a former minister in Tony Blair's labor government.

MP Halaika: Mishaal's speech at House of Commons turning point

[ 22/04/2009 - 05:28 PM ]

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)--

MP Samira Al-Halaika has stressed that the British House of Common's invitation to Khaled Mishaal, the Hamas leader, to deliver a speech was an indication that the free world was starting to break the Zionist hegemony on international decision-making.

Halaika in a statement on Wednesday said that allowing Mishaal to deliver a statement despite Zionist pressures indicates that the world was starting to see the reality of Israeli destruction and war against the Palestinian people.

The lawmaker appreciated the decision that followed a number of meetings between members of the House of Commons and Palestinian leaders and deputies in Gaza and Damascus.

She also hailed the MP Clare Short for coordinating the address, and urged the world parliaments to follow suit and to stand by the oppressed Palestinian people.

Hailaka asked the House of Commons to raise the issue of 45 Palestinian MPs still detained in Israeli occupation jails and to pressure Israel into releasing them.

Mesha'al to British MPs: If we find another way to end the occupation – we'll use it

Date: 23 / 04 / 2009 Time: 12:15
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

“Resistance is a means to an end,” Hamas leader in exile Khaled Mesha'al told British members of Parliament via videoconference Wednesday.

The question-and-answer session was arranged by British MP Clare Short, who recently visited Mesha'al at his office in Damascus along with several other lawmakers. The Wednesday meeting, rescheduled after a Tuesday failure of the video-link network, was help in a conference room in the British Parliament building in London.

During the videoconference Mesha'al stressed the necessity of pressuring Israel to put an end to its occupation of the West Bank and its siege on Gaza. He explained that “if we [Palestinians] find another way to end the occupation – we will use it,” but noted that all efforts to seek help from the international community had failed.

The Hamas leader stressed the party position that it will recognize Israel when it withdraws to the 1967 borders, and reiterated that any settlement between the sides will necessarily include such a proviso.

Mesha'al also said the right of return for Palestinian refugees would be essential for a peace deal.

While Hamas is still considered “terrorist organization” by the European Union, British, and French politicians have met with Mesha'al in Damascus over the past months.

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