Misha'al: Hamas’s only battle is with the occupation

Comment: The mantra plays on-it is the occupation! How bout speaking out against this andexposing it, time after time-once is not enough!

This is from Arab mediaHe also said, in a phone call to a commemoration ceremony held in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip in honour of policemen and Qassam fighters killed by the Israeli occupation on Tuesday: "We know that the situation in the Gaza Strip is difficult and complicated, your brothers in the West Bank are suffering the same, they are suffering [persecution] from both enemy and compatriot, their leaders have been arrested, their institutions were hit and they are being pursued. But whatever happens, our only battle is with the occupation, this is the real arena for heroism, but the internal differences, I pray to Allah that we avoid them and that unity of our homeland is restored once again. Our only right place is in the battle of dignity and honour in defence of our nation and land."
He renewed calls for internal dialogue without preconditions: "We open the door for national dialogue to solve the internal crisis because we believe it is essential and is required by all Palestinian people, but we do not beg for it."
He further expressed his puzzlement at the fact the Mahmoud Abbas rejects internal Palestinian talks, while he welcomes talks with Ehud Olmert at anytime.
He called on the wise within the Fatah movement to stop betting on the occupation and the US administration and to return to the lap of the Palestinian people.
Mishaal called on Fatah leaders to wake up and not be doped by Bush who aims from the Annapolis conference to extricate his administration from the mess they got themselves into in Iraq.
He accused Palestinian parties of collaborating with the occupation and foreign parties in keeping the siege of Gaza in place, but he added that the siege will fail and called on the people in Gaza to persevere.
He told the attendance that the Arab and Muslim people are with you and that they are proud of your heroism, even the official stand of the Arab governments is in favour of inter-Palestinian talks, but the USA pressures stop them from taking an active role in reuniting the Palestinian parties.
"The US [administration] thinks that it can crush Hamas and corner the Palestinian negotiator, and is preparing for its celebrations in the promised autumn conference, the leaves of which have fallen before time" Mishaal said, adding that Bush does not have peace in mind, all he has in mind is to achieve Arab normalisation with Israel and prepare for his next war against Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.
He also told the audience that an Arab official said to him "be patient, the truth will be very clear to see after the Annapolis conference."