At the Herzlia Conference I spoke with one of the speakers who was with Brookings Doha based in Doha. He told me that he was one of the people who drafted the Roadmap for the State43 Department. I told him that you probably drafted the Saudi Plan for them also. He asked me why we didn’t talk to Hamas. I said that we have nothing to offer them. Not the answer he was expecting. He then pushed the Saudi Plan for our acceptance. I said nothing doing, we want all the land and we are entitled to it. He quoted international law as recited in R242 as prohibiting us from acquiring land by force. I said that was never the law because you can acquire land in a defensive war. He didn’t challenge me on that.
A day or two ago there was a news item reporting that Qatar was promoting Wahabbism in Europe. This guy was probably behind the US embrace of the MB. He kept saying how they were moderating. Pure State Department BS. Ted Belman
Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal will not be returning to Damascus at this time and is expected to temporarily carry out Hamas activities from Qatar, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Thursday.
Mashaal was quoted by the London-based Arabic newspaper as saying he cannot receive visitors in Syria due to the volatile security situation there. The Hamas leader mentioned that last January he was forced to meet Swiss envoy to the Middle East Jean-Daniel Ruch in Cairo because the diplomat refused to visit Damascus.
Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Palestinian sources as saying that most senior Hamas operatives have already left Syria, adding that the Islamist group’s leaders do not plan on returning to Damascus at this stage, in part because the Muslim Brotherhood, which is linked to Hamas, has a key role in the uprising against President Bashar Assad.
However, the report on the relocation to Qatar has not been confirmed by any Hamas politburo member, and the Islamist group is keeping its Damascus offices open for the time being.
According to reports, Hamas operatives have left Syria and moved to various Arab states. Mashaal’s family moved to Jordan; his deputy, Moussa Abu Marzouk, moved to Cairo with his family; Muhammad Nazal and Sami Khatar have also relocated to Jordan with their families, but they are prohibited from engaging in any activities on Hamas’ behalf.
Other Hamas operatives have relocated to Beirut, Gaza and other locations.
Meanwhile, Hamas leaders are continuing to criticize the agreement between Mashaal and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to which Abbas will head an interim unity government until elections are held for the Palestinian parliament and presidency.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.