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Al-Arabiya TV host Muntaha Al-Ramahi faced off against Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem on an April 17 show on the network, when she said that Hamas did not have a monopoly on the Palestinian cause. Qasem objected to Al-Rahami's use of the term "occupation" to describe Hamas' rule in the Gaza Strip, and said that the movement had kept the Palestinian cause relevant, with Al-Ramahi retorting that "any Palestinian child, anywhere in the world" was keeping the Palestinian cause relevant, "and not Hamas."
TV Host Muntaha Al-Ramahi: You know full well that there is an international initiative to declare a [Palestinian] state in the Gaza Strip [alone]. The Palestinian cause will be eliminated, if you, as Palestinians, keep treating each other this way.
Hamas Spokesman Hazem Qasem: That is why we are insisting on ending the Palestinian rift, uniting the Palestinian political system, and conducting elections that would lead to new, united political institutions, which would be able to face these challenges. My dear sister, Hamas will not be content with anything less than the liberation of historical Palestine in its entirety. Our Palestinian people have the right to Mandatory Palestine in its entirety. We cannot establish a state just here in Gaza...
Muntaha Al-Ramahi: But in the ten years that Hamas has been occupying the Gaza Strip - what has it achieved with regard to liberating historical Palestine?
Hazem Qasem: We are not occupying the Gaza Strip. Hamas is a noble, national Palestinian movement, which has won a majority of the votes in the elections for the legislative council.
Muntaha Al-Ramahi: Fine, it runs the Gaza Strip.
Hazem Qasem: It leads the resistance in the Gaza Strip.
Muntaha Al-Ramahi: In the ten years since 2006, what has this "resistance movement" done to liberate historical Palestine? We are talking about the generations to come. Maybe, many years from now...
Hazem Qasem: At the very least, it has kept the Palestinian cause relevant, with its ongoing resistance...
Muntaha Al-Ramahi: No, that's not true, sir. You know that a Palestinian child...
Hazem Qasem: That's not true. I disagree with what you say. Let me tell you something...
Muntaha Al-Ramahi: No, what you are saying is not true, and I disagree with it. Forgive me for saying that it is not true, but any Palestinian child, anywhere in the world, is the one keeping the Palestinian cause relevant, and not Hamas. No party can have a monopoly on this - not the resistance, nor anyone else.
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