Senior Fatah Official 'Azzam Al-Ahmad Calls for Intifada against Hamas in Gaza, Adds: Israel Has Designs on the Nile and Mecca

'Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of the Fatah Central Committee and of the PLO Executive Committee, said that Hamas has "hijacked" Gaza against the will of its people. He called upon the people of Gaza: "Just as you wage an Intifada against the occupation, and perform acts of heroism in the rallies of the Return March and the Nakba and Naksa commemoration days, you should make sacrifices to end the [Hamas-Fatah] rift." Al-Ahmad, speaking from Cairo on Palestine TV, further said that Israel has not given up "its covetous designs on the Nile" or "its designs to reach Mecca." The interview aired on July 5.

'Azzam Al-Ahmad: "Let me reiterate: Gaza has been hijacked. I don’t care whether people like it or not. It has been hijacked by the armed force of Hamas, which has taken over the Gaza strip, against the will of our people in Gaza..."

Interviewer: "Let me just point out that the Gazans have yet to launch a proper Intifada against all the violations by Hamas, on the social level, the political level, or even in the material sense."

'Azzam Al-Ahmad: "I cannot say that they did not launch an Intifada. Perhaps 'Intifada' is too strong a word. We hope that the measures by the factions, the activists, and the NGOs... All the children, the women, the young men, and the elderly of Gaza must confront this rift and communicate with one another, no matter what oppression they are subject to.

[...]

"What I am saying is clear. I know that people there are imprisoned and are not allowed to travel. They are under siege, and fishing is prohibited. Many forced are besieging Gaza. It is therefore necessary to put an end to the suffering of Gaza. I say to the people of Gaza: Your problems will only be resolved by the ending of the [Fatah-Hamas] rift. Just as you wage an Intifada against the occupation, and perform acts of heroism in the rallies of the Return March, and the Nakba and Naksa commemoration days, you should make sacrifices to end the rift.

[...]

"Our most important goal at the present is to prevent Israel from realizing its dream of spreading from the Nile to the Euphrates. Don't think that Israel has given up its covetous designs on the Nile. Only an idiot would think that Israel has given up on the map engraved on the Knesset door, which shows the Nile and the Euphrates, and on its designs to reach Mecca. We are victims. We don't ask the Arabs to do us any favors, and they should not ask us for any."

Interviewer: "This is, without a doubt, a matter of Arab national security."

'Azzam Al-Ahmad: "Today, we are the spearhead. I said so this morning at parliament. We must confront not only the Zionist covetous designs for the Arab nation. We must also confront Trump, who has come to plunder the Arab resources, under the slogan of 'America First,' and who wants to extort us and keep us in poverty."