Ashqar: No Iranian pressure on Hamas

Hamas MP Ismail Al-Ashqar has denied Fatah accusations that his movement was under pressure from Iran regarding the national reconciliation process.

Ashqar, who was a member of Hamas’s delegation in reconciliation talks with Fatah in Damascus, told a press conference in Gaza on Monday that such an accusation was shameful, adding that Hamas did not purse an “Iranian agenda,” and was prepared any time to discuss the security file.

He charged Fatah with backtracking on an earlier agreement regarding the formation of a higher national committee to supervise the restructuring of the security apparatuses in the Palestinian Authority.

The lawmaker underlined that his movement was not interested in sharing authority in the security bodies, but rather wants security apparatuses built on national basis and affiliated with all factions and not only Hamas or any other faction.

Ashqar categorically rejected security coordination with the Israeli occupation authority, describing it as “unacceptable” and a national treason that ran contrary to the Palestinian people’s traditions and customs.

He hoped that another meeting would be held between Fatah and Hamas by the end of November to erase differences in opinions and achieve reconciliation.