MEMRI Special Dispatch| 2867 | March 19, 2010

Palestinians

Former Palestinian Plane Hijacker Leila Khaled: 'The Ultimate Goal of the
Struggle is the Establishment of a Palestinian State Within the 1967
Borders, Including Jerusalem.But This is Just One Stage'; 'We Have the Right
to Return To... All [of] Palestine'; 'If You Use Force, the Enemy Withdraws'

The following are excerpts from an interview with PFLP member and former
airplane hijacker Leila Khaled, which aired on Abu Dhabi TV on January 31,
2010.
To view the full clip on MEMRI TV, visit
www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2389.htm .

The Ultimate Goal of the Struggle

Interviewer: "Will we see the renewal of negotiations without a freeze on
settlement?"

Leila Khaled: "I hope that President Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud 'Abbas] maintains his position, because - and I say this
loud and clear - if he succumbs to this pressure, he will encounter
formidable revenge by the people. At present, I am behind Abu Mazen, and I
say to him: We are with you in the face of this pressure. You will not be
alone in the battlefield. But if you agree to sit down at the negotiating
table - we will be against you."
[...]

Interviewer: "You represent a large sector of the Palestinian public. You
said that if Mahmoud Abbas agrees to negotiations, you will be against him.
What does this mean in practical terms?"

Leila Khaled: "We will set the streets ablaze.
[...]
"The ultimate goal of the struggle is the establishment of a Palestinian
state on the land of Palestine, within the 1967 borders, including
Jerusalem."

The Right of Return

"But this is just one stage - not everything. Ultimately, we have the right
to return to Palestine - all Palestine. I am from Haifa, and I want to
return to Haifa. It is a human, legitimate, and natural right for people to
live in their land. Of course, there are people who will say: 'Dream on.' I
respond: 'Revolution begins with a dream.'"

Interviewer: "Many people say that Israel will never accept two things -
giving up Jerusalem, and the issue of the refugees."

Leila Khaled: "So how come Israel agrees to release prisoners? It had
declared that even if the prophet descended, it would not release so-and-so,
but eventually, it did."

Interviewer: "But after how many years?"

Leila Khaled: "If you use force, the enemy withdraws. When the occupier
begins to feel that the occupation is costly, what does he do? He
withdraws."

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