Commenting on the regretful phase that the Palestinian People are experiencing, including political polarisation and internal tensions, which negatively affected the freedom of expression and national spirit, Hamas official Hasan Yousef stated the following:

First: We call for protecting the Palestinian people’s right to freedom of expression with all legal means in the West Bank and Gaza and for providing a supportive environment for this right.

Second: We reject the use of violence and crackdown against any Palestinian for exercising the freedom of expression.

Third: We call for an end to political arrests over exercising the freedom of expression or expressing political views in the West Bank and Gaza.
Fourth: Hamas calls for prioritising the high national interests of the Palestinian people and reinforcing the home front in the face of the “Deal of the Century” by overcoming the internal rift.

Fifth: We reiterate the Palestinian people’s right to elect their leadership through elections and their right to organise popular activities. We call for holding fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections under the supervision of a national unity government.      

Sixth: We call for utilising the Israeli crackdown on the Palestinian detainees as a national chance to overcome the internal rift and unite our political efforts behind one of the most sacred issues for the Palestinian people—the Palestinian detainees’ issue.

Seventh: We urge the Palestinian factions, institutions, syndicates, and NGOs to act immediately to restore the national unity and call on the national figures and icons to unite the Palestinian people in the face of the challenges posed to their cause and holy sites.

Hasan Yousef

Hamas official

March 19, 2019