Tens of thousands rally for Hamas leader

[The Architect]

MSN.com

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Hamas will not be edged out of power, accept compromise or recognize Israel, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told tens of thousands of banner-waving supporters at a rally Friday. Haniyeh’s fiery performance was interrupted when he fainted onstage, seemingly overcome by the combined effects of heat and two weeks of dawn-to-dusk fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. He resumed his speech after a few minutes. The Hamas leader ruled out a proposal by members of his own Hamas movement to form a new government of technocrats as a way of winning international support and ending a seven-month aid freeze.

“There are new scenarios, such as an emergency government, a technocrat government, or early elections,” Haniyeh told the crowd in a packed soccer stadium. “They all aim at one thing, getting Hamas out of the government.”

Haniyeh said Hamas remains willing to invite other parties into a coalition, but that it would not soften its positions. In addition to recognizing Israel, the international community demands that Hamas renounce violence and accept existing peace agreements. “We say we will be in every government, we will stay in the government,” he said. “We will not recognize Israel.”

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