Hamas leader stresses 'concessions' in reconciliation deal
Some Hamas officials had hoped Khaled Meshaal would take a tougher stand on Fatah in his most recent speech, as Hamas members in the West Bank continue to be arrested despite the reconciliation deal.
Palestinians had long awaited the speech by Hamas’ political bureau head Khaled Meshaal on May 20, which coincided with the anniversary of the Nakba. The wheel of reconciliation has started and a national consensus government will soon be announced.
Meshaal’s 40-minute speech was delivered from his headquarters in Qatar in the presence of dozens of Hamas figures as well as Arab and foreign journalists, writers and politicians. The speech was aired on Al-Aqsa, Al-Quds and Al Jazeera TV stations.
This was Meshaal's first speech in more than 10 months. A Hamas media official who spoke with Al-Monitor attributed the lapse to “a lack of political developments that require him to appear," adding, "But [Meshaal] is exercising his internal and external organizational duties around the clock. He can hardly find free time in his daily schedule because of his many duties and visitors.”
Although there was not much new in Meshaal’s speech regarding Hamas’ political vision, the reconciliation featured largely, as he declared his support for “ending the division with Fatah, supporting the consensus government and uniting to face the dangers against it.”
