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Ziyad Nakhalah, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said in an October 10, 2022 interview with Mayadeen TV (Lebanon) that agreeing to a ceasefire after only 55 hours of fighting in the recent August conflict with Israel was "one of the biggest mistakes of my life." He said that PIJ should have continued to fight and to prove its strength to the "Zionist enemy." Nakhalah added that in the future, PIJ will continue fighting until the "Zionist enterprise" is no longer standing and the Zionists leave Palestine. Nakhalah said that PIJ is working on spreading the resistance into Israel proper. In response to a question by the interviewer, Nakhalah said that PIJ coordinates with the Houthis in Yemen and that they will play a "major role" in supporting the Palestinian resistance, even "in fighting."
Ziyad Nakhalah: "We do not wish the resistance to remain confined to the West Bank. We view Palestine of the pre-1948 borders the same way as we view the West Bank. It is all Palestine and this land in its entirety belongs to the Palestinian people.
"Therefore, we strive to spread the resistance throughout Palestine. This is our ambition, and we are working on it."
Interviewer: "Do you have a practical strategy in this regard?"
Nakhalah: " Yes, we are working on it.
[...]
"Even though it was short, the recent confrontation [with Israel] showed the Islamic Jihad to be a powerful force, capable of fighting Israel for a prolonged period of time. As I've told you, one of the biggest mistakes of my life was to agree to a ceasefire after 55 hours. We could have continued [to fight], and to prove how much more we could [hurt] the Zionist enemy.
"In the battles to come, we will not stop fighting. The enterprise of the Islamic Jihad is clear. We will not stop fighting as long as the Zionist enterprise is standing. This is our life, our vision, our ideology. Therefore, we will not hesitate, or make any concessions. That enterprise is based on injustice and oppression. Palestine is our country and we will fight until we win and they leave, Inshallah."
Interviewer: "Are you in contact with Ansar Allah in Yemen and do you coordinate with it?"
Nakhalah: "Yes, we are in touch with them, and I'd like to express my gratitude, and congratulate them on the occasion of the Prophet's birthday.
[...]
"I feel that the [Houthis] will play a major role in assisting and supporting the Palestinian resistance. I have high hopes their presence and support for the Palestinian resistance in the practical sense — even in fighting."
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