Excerpts from the program of the incoming Hamas-Fatah coalition government

The Associated Press
Published: March 17, 2007

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Excerpts from the program of the Hamas-Fatah coalition government, as presented by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to parliament Saturday.
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_ The government will work with the Arab countries and international community to"establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state in all Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital."

_ The government seeks to "consolidate a strong foundation of peace, security and prosperity for the whole region, for all generations, present and future."

_ The government "affirms that resistance in all its forms, including popular resistance against occupation, is a legitimate right approved by the international law, and it is the right of our people to defend themselves against continued Israeli aggression."

_ "The government will work within the national consensus to consolidate and expand the cease-fire (with Israel) to be comprehensive, mutual and simultaneous, in exchange for a committment from the Israeli occupation to halt all actions on the ground, such as assassinations, arrest raids and home demolitions."

_ The government "respects international legitimacy and all agreements reached by the PLO."

_ The government "will work and encourage those concerned to hasten resolving the problem of the Israeli soldier (Cpl. Gilad Shalit, captured by Hamas-allied militants in June), on the basis of an honorable exchange of prisoners and the return of deported."

_ The government "affirms ... that conducting negotiations (with Israel) is the authority of the PLO and the head of the Palestinian Authority, on the basis of sticking to national objectives... and with the understanding that every agreement will be presented to a new Palestine National Council (a parliament-in-exile) ... or to a public referendum."

_ The government "commits to rejecting the so-called state with provisional boders which takes away from legitimate Paleastinian rights."

In other parts of the program, the government pledges to reform and depoliticize the security forces, restore law and order and fight corruption.