Hamas threatened Friday to end its charade of relative moderation and revert to openly seeking Israel's demise if the international community does not start sending money within the next few months.
Speaking to Muslim worshipers at a mosque in Gaza, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh claimed Friday that his government had done everything asked by the international community when it forged a unity coalition with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah.
"We have given what we were required," Haniyeh told worshippers. "We have made a unity government and a political program based on common grounds and now what is needed is to lift the siege."
"If the siege continues for two to three more months, we will study our options... and we will take a decision that will protect our dignity and will protect our interests," Haniyeh said, without giving further details.
A US-led economic embargo against the PA has been in place since Hamas took power last year.
Western powers promised to end the sanctions if Hamas explicitly recognized Israel's right to exist and renounced the use of terrorism.
Hamas did neither when it signed a power-sharing agreement with Abbas and Fatah. In fact, the platform of the new government safeguards the right of Palestinian groups to employ terrorism against Israel.
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