Islamic Jihad says willing to join PLO

Mohammed al-Hindi, a senior Islamic Jihad (Holy War) official, said on Sunday that his movement was ready to join the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) when it is reshuffled.

Al-Hindi told media that a reformed PLO would have a "true political partnership with everyone" and the organization was the only way out of the political crisis.

Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haneya of Hamas is holding talks with all factions on forming a national unity government, al- Hindi said, adding that his movement will not join any government or institution based on the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement to end infighting and form a power-sharing government in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, earlier this month.

In addition, al-Hindi justified continuous attacks against Israel by saying that "resistance is the only way to respond to the occupation."

"No one meets the occupation by laying down weapons and resorting to negotiations as the only political way," he said.

Israel and the Palestinians reached a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip last November, but the Islamic Jihad continued rocket attacks against Israel.

Source: Xinhua