Mahmoud Al-Zahhar: "We have liberated Gaza, but have we recognized Israel? Have we given up our lands occupied in 1948? We demand the liberation of the West Bank, and the establishment of a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with Jerusalem as its capital – but without recognizing [Israel]. This is the key – without recognizing the Israeli enemy on a single inch of land.
"This is our plan for this stage – to liberate the West Bank and Gaza, without recognizing Israel’s right to a single inch of land, and without giving up the Right of Return for a single Palestinian refugee.
[...]
"Our plan for this stage is to liberate any inch of Palestinian land, and to establish a state on it. Our ultimate plan is [to have] Palestine in its entirety. I say this loud and clear so that nobody will accuse me of employing political tactics. We will not recognize the Israeli enemy. "
"As for the issue of a referendum – [the Palestinian Authority] is ready to impose its position on people by force. Whoever wants to hold a referendum, and believes that he can get all of Palestine for the Palestinians, can hold a referendum, but will not give up the platform of resistance, and the plan to liberate Palestine in its entirety. This is unequivocal.
[...]
"If we could liberate the Negev now, we would continue [our military activity], but our capabilities dictate that after we got rid of the Israeli presence in Gaza, we must finish off the remnants of that occupation, and move on to the West Bank."
Source: Al-Wafd, Egypt, June 23, 2010
This is strikingly similar to Yasir Arafat's "phased plan" to destroy Israel in stages, formulated in 1974:
The Liberation Organization will employ all means, and first and foremost armed struggle, to liberate Palestinian territory and to establish the independent combatant national authority for the people over every part of Palestinian territory that is liberated. This will require further changes being effected in the balance of power in favour of our people and their struggle.Arafat (and other leaders) referred to this plan often even after Oslo.
The Liberation Organization will struggle against any proposal for a Palestinian entity the price of which is recognition, peace, secure frontiers, renunciation of national rights and the deprival of our people of their right to return and their right to self-determination on the soil of their homeland.
But just as an unrepentant Fatah-dominated PLO is now considered a peace partner for Israel today, some are now calling Hamas a similarly pragmatic potential peace partner.
Yet the facts belie the idea that either of them are interested in peace. The Fatah platform from last year as well as the current PA leadership explicitly reject the idea of Palestinian Arab resettlement in Arab countries, and any eventual West Bank state cannot accommodate all of the "refugees." The clear intent is to push the "right of return" on day one after any Palestinian Arab state is declared, using the successful formula of incessantly using the language of human rights to negate any Jewish rights to the historic Jewish homeland.
The only difference between Hamas and Fatah is that Hamas is more honest.
(h/t Jed for YouTube link)