A candidate of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) for the
Jan. 25 Palestinian legislative elections said on Friday that the
group would never drop its arms although hit decided to participate
in the upcoming ballot.
Fathi Hammad, Hamas candidate from northern Gaza, made the
statement while campaigning in the Gaza Strip.
He said that Hamas' participation in the elections did not mean
giving up its weapons.
"Hamas will continue develop its armed wings by recruiting more
members and making more rockets and bombs," said Hammad.
He also declared that Hamas would try to boost the Islamic
culture if it wins the elections.
"Our aim after the elections is to reinforce the Islamic culture
and spread it as well as our social and political views," he
said.
Hammad is a senior leader of Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip.
He has been jailed in an Israeli prison for several years for
alleged involvement in violence against Israeli targets.
Hamas, sworn to Israel's destruction, has spearheaded attacks on
Israel during the past five years of the Palestinian Intifada
(Uprising) against the Israeli occupation.
The Islamic group has garnered huge street popularity and is
widely expected to do well in the coming elections, its first
parliamentary bid.
Israel has expressed grave concerns and strong opposition to
Hamas' participation in the ballot and had earlier threatened to
ban Arab residents in East Jerusalem to vote.
But under intense US efforts, the Israeli cabinet has decided to
vote on whether to allow voting in the occupied East Jerusalem on
Sunday.
(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2006)
