RAMALLAH, West Bank, 26 September 2007 — The Hamas movement yesterday welcomed the Fatah leadership’s willingness to allow its political leaders to return to the Gaza Strip, which was guaranteed by Palestinian law, but advised “whoever was involved in or instigated the last events of murders in Gaza not to return.”
Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in the Strip, confirmed that Hamas does not oppose the return of Fatah political leaders to Gaza if they want to return to exercise their political role away from engaging in incitement.
“But if what was meant is the return of security leaders who were involved in or who have incited killings and then fled, those leaders have no place here and should be advised not to return,” the spokesman explained.
Palestinian officials on Sunday said that several Fatah officials who fled to the West Bank after Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last June have decided to return home. The decision came after the Fatah officials received assurances from Hamas that they would not be harmed upon their return to Gaza, the officials added. But they denied that the decision was linked to reports about secret talks between Hamas and Fatah.
Some 50 senior political and security Fatah officials fled to the West Bank before and after Hamas took full control of the Gaza Strip. At least 400 others are believed to have fled to Egypt and other Arab countries.
Many of the Fatah officials who found sanctuary in Ramallah complained that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had turned its back on them. They said the PA leadership in Ramallah had restricted their movements and banned them from meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his top aides.
Among the Fatah officials who are expected to return to Gaza are former President Rawhi Fattouh, former Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, whose house in Gaza City was looted by Hamas militiamen last June, Abdullah Ifranji, Hamdan Ashour, Gen. Mazen Izzedin, Abu Ali Shahin and Gen. Samih Nasir.
