Islamic Jihad Movement ready to join the PLO

In what can be seen as an advance in the Cairo unity talks, the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has declared that it is committed to Palestinian unity and is ready to join the Palestine Liberation Organization after the forming of a new Palestinian National Council and election of a new PLO Executive Committee, provided that the movement undergoes internal process of renewing its political and administrative programes. The statement was made today by deputy general secretary of the movement, Ziad Al-Nakhalaha.

Source: Paltoday.com

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News links on claims of Islamic radicalism in Denmark: 1, 2

Four Palestinian political parties call upon Hamas to stop infringements of people's liberties in the Gaza strip

Four Palestinian political parties, namely the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian People's Party and the Islamic Jihad Movement, have issued a joint call appealing to Hamas to cease its "practices of abuse against the citizens" of the Gaza Strip. The appeal was issued at a joint meeting of the four political groups in the Gaza Strip. The four groups also formed a joint committee in order to "strengthen the steadfastness of our people and get rid of all the wrong and destructive practices damaging the national unity".

According the PFLP politburo member Dr. Rabah Muhanna, the conduct of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip has a negative impact on the unity of the resistance of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The PFLP has noted that various Gaza residents have been shot in their legs or severely beaten in the recent past. The culprits are generally unknown, but accusations are often directed against Hamas and Fatah forces. The PFLP also highlights restrictions put by the Hamas movement on the work of human rights NGOs as well as politically motivated detentions in the Gaza Strip.

Separately, the jailed PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa'adat has stated that the failure to reconcile political differences between Palestinians will only benefit Israel.

Source: PFLP website, Maan News Agency, Svenska Amnesty on situationen i Gaza efter massakern, SvD

Nayaf Hawatme, DFLP General Secretary calls for a United Resistance Front

In an interview to al-Arabiya December 28, 2008, posted at the al-Hourriya website, veteran Palestinian leader and DFLP general secretary Nayaf Hawatmeh outlined the need for a United Resistance Front against the aggression.

"We we have held a series of meetings between the Democratic Front, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front with this purpose before the start of Israeli military operations over the previous ten days, we had meetings yesterday under the shelling in Gaza. We have also held meetings with our brothers in Fatah in more than one location in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere, and the answers were positive that people are ready for such steps,"