By ,
Published January 14, 2015
Abdel Aziz Rantissi (search), the new leader of Hamas (search), says in order to stop the bloodshed in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (search) needs to stop Israeli aggression on Palestinians.
In an interview with Fox News' Mike Tobin, Rantissi outlined the steps he plans he wants to take to unite the Palestinian national and Islamic organization "to face the aggression of Israelis against our people."
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (search) has called for an end to the violence but has not taken a hard enough line against Palestinian militants, many observers and U.S. officials say. But with this week's killing of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (search), Rantissi said, there's likely no end of the violence in sight.
Calling retaliation a "continuation of defense," Rantissi said, "we have to defend our people."
He said he's not afraid of being Israel's next target in that country's effort to quash groups it considers terrorists.
"I am waiting all the time that the Israelis will target me and assassinate me," Rantissi said. "It doesn't mean anything, to die for the sake of my goals, to die, to sacrifice for the interest of my people."
Click here to watch a report by Fox News Channel's Mike Tobin.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/new-hamas-leader-vows-to-defend-palestinians