Hamas: We Have 200,000 Waiting to be Martyrs

Source: Al-Manar TV, 30-4-2008
"If "Israel" has 200 nuclear warheads, the Palestinian people have 200,000 martyrdom bombers, waiting to blow themselves up in the presence of Zionists and be martyred," Hamas leader Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar said in Gaza on Tuesday.
During a conference held at the Islamic University of Gaza, Zahar said that Chief of Egyptian Intelligence Omar Suleiman would declare the beginning of a ceasefire if the "Zionist entity" were to agree to it.
According to Zahar, if "Israel" delays in accepting the truce it will pay a heavy price. "We are a people under siege and we have no choice but to use all of our resources to protect ourselves from the occupation."
He assumed "Israel" would accept the truce, but "dawdle over a number of issues," stressing that the opening of all border crossings would be a condition for the Egyptian initiative to pass.
He estimated that the issue of the ceasefire would be determined next week, during Suleiman's visit to occupied territories. He explained that Hamas has refused former US President Jimmy Carter's proposal, that Hamas declare a one-sided truce as a confidence-building step.
"In 2003 and 2005 we offered and upheld truces, which were beneficial to us. Even those who were opposed to these truces will agree," he said.
Zahar hinted that the Palestinian organizations utilized past periods of calm in order to rest and re-arm themselves. He listed Hamas' conditions for truce, which included the ceasing of "Israeli" attacks against Palestinians, removal of the siege on Palestinian territories, and the opening of all crossings.
Zahar criticized Palestinian factions that were opposed to the latest Egyptian initiative, saying some of them had received $1.5 million from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to boycott a Hamas rally against the US-sponsored conference in Annapolis last November.
Zahar's remarks came as representatives of several Palestinian groups began talks in Cairo over the truce proposal.
The Egyptians summoned the representatives in a bid to persuade them to accept the initiative. Among the groups participating in the discussions are Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
An Egyptian diplomat told The Jerusalem Post that all the groups had agreed in principle to the truce. Cairo was optimistic regarding the prospects of achieving a deal as early as next week, especially since Hamas has already agreed to the truce, he said.
The diplomat confirmed that Suleiman was planning to visit occupied territories next week for talks with government officials on his discussions with the Palestinian groups. "We are very close to achieving an agreement," the diplomat said. "We believe all the parties are interested in a lengthy period of calm."
Hamas legislator Mushir al-Masri said Tuesday that a truce with "Israel" would not be possible unless all the Palestinian groups agreed to it.
"We won't go to a hudna [temporary truce] unless there is a consensus among the Palestinians about it," he said. "We are aware that some groups are opposed to a truce, but don't believe that the major factions would reject a mutual and comprehensive truce that would end the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip."