sudut_hati

CHRISTIAN CANDIDATE ON HAMAS TICKET
By Motasem Dalloul
ALJAZEERA.NET - Wednesday 25 January 2006, 11:59 Makka
Time, 8:59 GMT

Hosam al-Taweel, 40, is a Christian candidate running
on the electoral ticket of Islamic resistance group
Hamas in Gaza, in the upcoming Palestinian
parliamentary elections.

He is competing for one of six seats specially
designated for the Christian community in the
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
He worked as a volunteer at the YMCA in Gaza for more
than 30 years, serving on its board three times. He is
also a regular columnist in the Palestinian daily
newspaper, Al-Quds.

Al-Taweel says his family is deeply involved in the
cause of the Palestinian people. His grandfather was a
member of the General Palestinian Government in 1948
which refused the UN resolution partitioning Palestine
into Jewish and Arab sections.

Israel, the US and the EU have pressed the
Palestinians to bar Hamas from participating in the
elections.
Aljazeera.net spoke with al-Taweel in Gaza.

Aljazeera.net: How would you describe your
relationship with Hamas?

Al-Taweel: I am eager to tell the truth about this
point which has produced unwanted controversy. I have
discussed my electoral programme called Addressing
Minds with all the Palestinian national and Islamic
parties and got all of their support.
My programme isn't specifically for Christians only,
but designed for all Palestinians.
What we have in common is keeping the national
Palestinian struggle for rights and freedoms alive. We
are fighting for the right of return of displaced
Palestinian refugees and fighting corruption in
Palestinian governance.
The slogan of my campaign is
unity-return-justice-independence.
We are all - Christians and Muslims - united for a
free Palestine. Our ancestors fought with the Muslim
leader, Salah al-Din, against the crusaders.
We also share a common suffering under Israeli
occupation.
Each of us has reciprocal respect towards our
religious beliefs.

What is the Church's opinion of your running on a
Hamas ticket?

I said that I am a Christian (Greek Orthodox) and I
have a great loyalty to my Christianity. I am proud of
that. But, here, we are speaking about political
issues. I could win the support of all the Palestinian
parties as I have done with Hamas.
This doesn't bother the Church. But I have no
different speeches, one designed for Muslims and
another for the Christians. I have only one speech for
all of the Palestinians, all together.
I say to them: Let's go united to the PLC elections to
practise democracy and to say our word by choosing the
right people to the right places. Then, we will be
able to solve our problems and change our reality and
create a hopeful future for all Palestinians.

Does the Church support you more than other Christian
candidates?

No, it has a neutral position towards all of us.

How do you view Palestinian resistance?

All occupied peoples have to fight for freeing their
lands. Freeing your occupied land is an
internationally legitimate right.
I say to the Palestinians to use this right under the
umbrella of the UN, but they have their own right to
decide how, when and where to resist the occupation in
order to get the ultimate political benefits of their
resistance.

What about bombing operations?

Frankly, I am against involving civilians from both
sides in the conflict.
But the Israelis also must not involve civilians,
which is what they unfortunately did when an F-16
targeted the home of Shaikh Salah Shehadi and killed
about 18 civilians, children and women among them. And
they called that a security operation.
But when Palestinians carry out an operation in which
civilians are hurt or killed, they call it a terrorist
act. I prefer that both sides leave civilians aside.

Do you believe peace plans - like the 1993 Oslo
Accords - signed between the Israelis and the PLO,
will work?

I do believe in fair and comprehensive peace which is
built on the concepts of justice and freedom.
But Oslo is too old and it has been rendered null in
the past. If we look at current trends, the Israeli
new party, Kadima, is calling for the discrimination
wall to be recognised as an official border and united
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
They also seek to cancel the right of return of
thousands of Palestinian refugees and say no more
withdrawals from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
All these positions will ensure the destruction of all
peace initiatives and the process itself.
I advise the Palestinians to engage in serious talks
to map out a common Palestinian political national
programme in order to struggle for it in full loyalty.

Why were elections almost postponed several times in
the past few weeks?

I was always against any postponement of the
elections. The elections have become the best way for
Palestinians to voice their common national demands.
They all seek a chance of changing their current
reality and building a better one.
Simply, some in the international community are
fearful of a new PLC that will be comprised of all
Palestinian colours - all Palestinian factions and
affiliations.

Who do you think will win the elections?

No one can tell the final answer now. The ballot box
knows the answer to that question.
But what I am sure of is that the new PLC will be
formed of all the Palestinian colours. And I hope that
the elections will be conducted smoothly and freely,
without any interruption.