Islamic Jihad cautious on Palestinian reconciliation deal
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is concerned a warming of Hamas-Fatah ties will come at the expense of its own relations with Hamas.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Islamic Jihad has given a mixed response to the April 23 reconciliation deal between Hamas and Fatah. Islamic Jihad's leadership reiterated the necessity of achieving Palestinian unity and restoring cohesion, to confront what the group’s leaders told Al-Monitor was “the risks facing the Palestinian cause, the division of Palestinians and the Israeli occupation.” However, some of its leaders still have concerns about the reconciliation deal, particularly concerning its weapons, as well as the future of Hamas-Islamic Jihad relations.
Khodor Habib, a leading Islamic Jihad member, relayed his impressions to Al-Monitor. He said the Palestinian reconciliation was the perfect option for Palestinians to organize internal affairs and end the division that had taken a toll on all Palestinians.
