GAZA, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A senior adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has vowed the Gaza Strip will never be controlled by Hamas, the Jerusalem Post said Tuesday.
In an interview with Israeli military correspondents, Jibril Rajoub said he is speaking on behalf of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassar Arafat and the Palestinian leadership at large.
"Although Hamas leaders declare that their movement will 'take over' the Gaza Strip in case of an Israeli withdrawal, the Palestinian people will not allow it," he said.
Rajoub, who is Arafat's national security advisor, added: "Our people want a secular regime. They want a democratic government, not a fundamentalist government."
He also said he believes the only solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a two-state solution rather than a bi-national solution, but did not elaborate on the mechanism.
