Hawatemah: Damascus expulsion of Palestinian groups is a debated issue

The secretary general of the Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine, Nayef Hawatemah, said that Syria's expulsion of several leaders of the Palestinian leadership from its lands is a debated issue," stressing that "this matter is in the hand of the Syrian leadership which decides it."

In press statements in Amman, where he is currently visiting, Hawatemah said that "Damascus is now under great and vast American pressures," noting the recent statements made by the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in which he said that the American administration is studying the implementation of several steps that are in Syria's Accountability law.

Hawatemah stressed that "such steps might be damaging to Syria, its national interests and defense capabilities especially as the Golan is still under the Israeli occupation." He added "we assume that the Syrian leadership recognizes these risks and searches for what permits defending it." Hawatemah indicated that Washington asked Syria for measures to be taken against several leaders of the Palestinian groups who live in Syria and in Palestinian refugees aggregations since 50 years."

He renewed that " only the Syrians are the decision makers to this effect and to take what they see appropriate and complying with their interests."