Withdrawal from Palestinian reconciliation is not allowed: Sinwar

CAIRO – 17 November 2017: Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya al-Sinwar confirmed on Thursday, concerning the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas, that withdrawal is not allowed.

The state of division would damage the Palestinian national project, if persisted, Sinwar said during a meeting arranged by the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies (Masarat).

Achieving reconciliation has become a national and religious duty, Sinwar said. “If we could not mobilize our efforts to eliminate the state of division, then next year, our people would regret wasting this historical opportunity,” he added.

Hamas is overcoming all difficulties in order for the reconciliation to succeed, Sinwar said.
Last October, the two main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, signed an Egypt-brokered reconciliation deal in Cairo, in a key step towards ending a decade-long rift between the two movements.

The deal sees administrative control of the Gaza Strip handed to a Fatah-backed unity government.