Al Aqsa Brigade react to prospects of peace

Описание: (8 Feb 2005)
1. Nasser Juma'a, leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade in Nablus, and Nasr al-Kharaz, al-Aqsa militant, walking through alleys of Nablus's Old City
2. Various of Juma'a and al-Kharaz walking through alleys
3. Juma'a and al-Kharaz standing at entrance to building
4. Juma'a and al-Kharaz seated
5. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasser Juma'a, Leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade in Nablus:
"The resistance is continuing and we will keep our weapons as long as there is an occupation on Palestinian soil. We understand there should be a commitment and there is a Palestinian stand towards the peace process but the issue of handing in weapons is totally rejected by all military factions."
6. Cutaway of gun
7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasser Juma'a, Leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade in Nablus:
"With all our experience as wanted militants and of relations between the military wings and the Israeli side, we do not look at them (the Israelis) with trust. On several occasions we have felt and experienced that the Israeli side did not stick to its commitments to any agreements for any calm or cease-fire."
8. Cutaway of militant
9. Wide shot of armed militants sitting together
10. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasr al-Kharaz, al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade militant:
"The issue of handing over weapons is totally rejected."
Question: "Why?"
Answer: "Because the weapon of resistance is our honour and we will not give it up."
11. Al-Kharaz walking out of building, militants following him
12. Various of gunmen walking through market place

STORYLINE:

A Palestinian militant said on Monday that his organisation was not prepared to give up its weapons, even as part of an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire deal.

Nasser Juma'a, the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade in Nablus, said: "the issue of handing in weapons is totally rejected by all military factions."

He said the weapons' issue was linked to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land: "We will keep our weapons as long as there is an occupation on Palestinian soil".

Juma'a said experience had taught his organisation not to trust the Israelis.

"On several occasions we have felt and experienced that the Israeli side did not stick to its commitments to any agreements for any calm or cease-fire," he said.

Juma'a and other al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade members walk openly with their weapons through the alleys of Nablus's Old City in the West Bank.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade is linked to the mainstream Fatah movement, which is headed by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Israeli and Palestinian leaders announced late on Monday that they would declare the formal end to more than four years of fighting during the Middle East summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik on Tuesday.

Abbas has been negotiating a cease-fire among militant Palestinian factions to convince them to stop attacks against Israeli targets.

Israel has said it will scale back its military operations in Palestinian areas as long as the current relative calm continues.

A joint declaration of a cessation of violence is one of the first requirements of the internationally backed Road Map peace plan, which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of this year.

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