Hamas Boycott Conference in Gaza: Normalization with Israel Leads to the Spread of AIDS

During a conference held in Gaza on August 9, Hamas MP Marwan Abu Ras, former chairman of the League of Islamic Ulama in Palestine, said: "Ask the countries that engaged in this normalization why AIDS has become widespread there. It has spread through normalization in tourism." Former Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad said: "The future generations will continue to fight the occupier, using all means available... until we liberate Palestine from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River." The conference was broadcast live by the Al-Jazeera network.

Hamas MP Marwan Abu Ras: "The dangerous manifestations of normalization, which result from these ties, will destroy the Islamic nation's dedication to the Palestinian cause, and will weaken it, I'm sad to say. It will enable this plundering occupation to overcome us. We are talking about economic, cultural, and political normalization, as well as normalization in moral values. Ask the countries that engaged in this normalization why AIDS has become widespread there. It has spread through normalization in tourism."

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Former Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad: "The Jews are striving, through agreements with neighboring Arab countries, to reap the benefits of this false peace, and first and foremost, breaking the psychological barrier between the Muslims and the Jews.

"Second, they are trying to put an end to the Arab and Muslim boycott, which led foreign companies to leave (Israel), fearing the boycott.

"Third, they wish to gain hegemony over the water resources in the region, especially the Jordan, Yarmouk, and Litani rivers, in addition to the Nile.

"Fourth, they want to create suitable, peaceful conditions that would allow immigration of the Jews (to Israel).

"With regard to the conclusions and recommendations, we stress that what the PA and its security agencies are doing does not, under any circumstances, give any party carte blanche to normalize its relations with the Jews. These people do not represent anybody but themselves. They brought their own personal interests into the Palestinian cause, and they should not serve as a role model to others. The Palestinian people will never relinquish its rights. The future generations will continue to fight the occupier, using all means available - the Al-Quds Intifada is one example - until we liberate Palestine from the (Mediterranean) Sea to the (Jordan) River."

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Former Hamas Health Minister Basem Naim: "The BDS movement is an active and strong movement. It serves as a source of concern for the occupation, to the point that it has to allocate tremendous resources - human and financial resources, as well as in the fields of security and media - in order to fight it. The BDS has become a central issue in the US elections, and this reflects the concern that the BDS poses to this entity. We, the local Palestinian boycott movement, are prepared to cooperate with the Palestinian Legislative Council, with the Palestine Religious Scholars Association, or any other institution, in order to support and strengthen the boycott against the occupation."