Hamas, Islamic Jihad to form joint political, military command

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 13, 2003

Hamas, Islamic Jihad to form joint political, military command

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Two prominent hardline Palestinian resistance movements, Hamas and Islamic Jihad (Holy War), have decided to form a joint political and military command, Palestinian sources close to the two groups said on Friday.

The current Palestinian situation "urges us to look for what unifies us instead of what splits us," the sources said.

"The political arenas of both Jihad and Hamas are meeting in many common things," they added.

"Therefore there is nothing preventing both movements from going for full cooperation and forming a joint command," they said.

The sources noted that both movements had been in full cooperation and coordination in issuing joint leaflets and statements for five months, saying "there are no political or ideological disputes between the two groups."

But the sources declined to give any more clarification about the aim of the coordination and its timing.

Palestinian observers said the decision to form a joint command was an important development for the two groups, a move that could make them more powerful on the Palestinian streets.

"The two movements want to make their positions stronger by declaring a full unity in order to face any pressure in the future to declare a ceasefire with Israel," said one observer who declined to be named.

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