Hamas rebuffs concession on refugee issue as it marks 20th birthday
Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations
Palestinian Hamas supporters attend a rally organised by the Hamas movement to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its foundation, in Gaza Dec. 15, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
GAZA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- At a huge rally to celebrate Hamas' 20-year-old birthday on Saturday, deposed Hamas prime minister Ismail Haneya said his movement doesn't believe in a so-called fair solution of the Palestinian refugee issues, asserting they must return to their homes.
"No for making a concession on the right of return and there is nothing called a fair solution for return ... there is only one thing called the return of millions of Palestinians from Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan," Haneya told the rally in Gaza City.
Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters gathered in Gaza City to mark the Islamic movement's 20-year-old birthday.
Haneya, also a senior Hamas leader, asserted that Hamas will keep on fighting against Israel, saying, "I tell those who want to strike the resistance that their illusive thinking won't be usable."
Meanwhile, Haneya affirmed that Hamas will not accept any condition set by President Mahmoud Abbas for dialogue with Abbas' Fatah movement.
"In the name of all Palestine men, I swear that we will not accept any condition for the dialogue," Haneya said. Right after Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, Abbas had not only fired the Hamas-led coalition government, also severed all contacts with Hamas. As a result, the national dialogue between rival Hamas and Fatah has since collapsed.