Popular resistance not only way to resolve conflict: Hamas chief

GAZA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chief of Islamic Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip Yehya Sinwar said Tuesday that popular resistance is not the only way to resolve issues related to the conflict in the region.

"We are fully aware that some issues are resolved by popular resistance, but there are some issues that are also resolved diplomatically," Sinwar said during a meeting with Gaza Strip's notables and chiefs of clans and tribes.

However, he said "we are required to build up and accumulate enough strength in many various areas."

Regarding Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails, he said "Hamas made a commitment that the issue of the prisoners is our cause, and we will not rest until we find them, and carry them on shoulders."

Sinwar warned that "if the issue of Jerusalem fails, there will be no Palestinian national issue," referring to the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump on Jerusalem.

Sinwar said the world has seen the policy of bullying used by the United States in the United Nations, so Islamic countries and the world's free people "can not be blackmailed or accept the policy of arrogance."

He noted that Hamas has realized the dangers inherent in the Palestinian cause since the beginning of this year and has set a number of priorities to work on.

Sinwar pointed out that one of their priorities is the promotion of the Palestinian national project, which has been plagued by many problems, part of which are related to division.

Meanwhile, Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas, who attended the meeting, unveiled that Hamas had received information on the U.S.-backed plan related to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We have received information throughout our special apparatuses in Hamas that the Americans offered and still offer proposals to the Palestinian side and others who are linked to the Palestinian cause," said Haniyeh.

He went on saying that the plan is to divide the West Bank into three zones in north, center and south, and found an entity in the Gaza Strip with some privileges. Enditem