During a recent visit to Iran, Fatah central committee member Jibril Rajoub said: "The resistance is still a strategic option, and armed resistance is on the table." He said that he wanted all components of Palestinian society "to maintain the state of conflict between Palestine and the occupation." The interview was broadcast by the Iranian Al-Alam TV network on February 3, 2014.
Following is an excerpt:
Jibril Rajoub: "Either a Palestinian state will be established – and this is a condition for stability, peace, and security for everyone – or else the Israelis will not enjoy security, while continuing settlement activity."
TV host: "Will you take up arms again?"
Jibril Rajoub: "We have never given up our arms. We have never left the battlefield, and we have never raised a white flag. No one can lecture Fatah or its leadership in this regard.
"The resistance is still a strategic option, and armed resistance is on the table. We consider resistance to be a means to an end, not the goal itself. If negotiations fail, we will reexamine things, with our Arab and Islamic allies.
"As I've told you, we want to maintain the state of conflict between Palestine and the occupation. This applies to all components of the Palestinian people, because we want all the Palestinians to participate in the resistance. We want the Palestinians within the 1948 borders to demand equality, the Palestinians within the 1967 borders to demand independence and liberty, and the Palestinians in the diaspora to demand the Right of Return. We want our Arab supporters in the region to be able to embrace this resistance, and we want the world to accept our methods.
"I believe that by international law, we have the right to conduct any form of resistance, in the occupied lands and against the occupation, in order to put an end to the occupation.
"I'm telling you that there will not be any bus bombings, and there must not be bus bombings in Tel Aviv. But we have 400,000 settlers. What are these people doing among us? According to international law, these [settlements] are illegal. These people will not enjoy security, peace, or stability, as long as occupation and Judaization continue.
"Fatah remains Fatah, and in keeping with its goals and values, it still considers resistance to be an option."
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