A high-ranking Hamas delegation led by political bureau chairman Ismail Haniyeh completed a visit to Russia this week, during which they met in Moscow with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov at his .invitation
At the meeting, the latest regional and international developments as a result of the war in Ukraine were discussed, primarily the situation in the Gaza Strip after the latest military conflict between Israel and the Islamic Jihad, and the tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah organization over the dispute on the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon and the extraction of natural gas from the Mediterranean Sea.
The senior representation in the Hamas delegation testifies to the great importance that Russia attaches to Hamas, especially in view of the intensification of the succession battle in the Palestinian Authority and the possibility of the imminent departure of Abu Mazen from the political stage.
This was a high political meeting due to mutual interests
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Sources in Hamas claim that Russia wants to upgrade the level of contact between itself and the Hamas organization in view of the strengthening of the status of the Hamas organization in the Palestinian street and the decline of the position of the Palestinian Authority and especially of Abu Mazen.
The Hamas organization has also become very strong militarily and is today considered an Arab regional force that succeeds in challenging the State of Israel and its army, recognized for many years as the strongest army in the Middle East.
Today, Russia needs every possible friend in the international arena, especially in view of the international coalition that the US was able to form against it following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
Hamas sees the tightening of contacts with Russia as an opportunity to try and improve its international status because it is considered a terrorist organization according to the definitions of the Quartet.
Every international meeting With its representatives, is helping it gradually erode its definition as a terrorist organization and Hamas believes that over time the organization will achieve a breakthrough and reach a situation where the international community will recognize it as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people instead of the PLO, which due to Abu Mazen’s policies is gradually losing its international status as well.
In Ismail Haniyeh’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the demand of Hamas to recognize the Palestinian rights to the natural gas reserves in the Mediterranean off the coast of Gaza was also discussed. Hamas sees the possibility of extracting natural gas from these reserves as an important source of income that will greatly improve the economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas’s new strategy states that one must act in all directions to strengthen the organization and derive political gains from all regional and international changes in view of Israel’s political activity.
Hamas is very concerned about the normalization process between Israel and the Arab countries and the possibility that eventually a settlement will also be reached between Israel and Lebanon that will end the conflict over the maritime border and allow both countries to start producing natural gas from the “Karish” gas field and the Lebanese “Kana” gas field through international companies.
The Hamas organization takes advantage of the fact that it did not participate in the last round of fighting in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Islamic Jihad, in order to leverage its political activity and present itself as a supposedly pragmatic and moderate organization that wants to be freed from the Israeli occupation and take care of its people, while Israel is the one interested in war.
Khaled Mashal’s visit to Jordan
Another visit that attracted attention was the visit of Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas abroad, to Jordan about a month ago.
The visit was defined as a private visit, but it clearly has political implications.
Jordan is following with great interest the new message of Hamas, which presents itself as pragmatic in .everything related to the war In Ukraine, the issue of the nuclear agreement with Iran and Turkey
During his visit to Jordan, Khaled Mashaal attended a dinner organized by Marwan Al-Kauri, the secretary general of the Islamic Club, with the participation of former Jordanian Prime Minister Taher al-Masri, former Jordanian ministers and the heads of the Bedouin tribes.
The Jordanian “Ammon” news agency reported that Khaled Mashaal’s visit, which was defined as a visit for family needs, was longer than expected and lasted two weeks, and that he was accompanied by a .Hamas delegation that was careful to stay away from the media spotlight
Khaled Mashaal arrived in Jordan with personal security guards and the Jordanian intelligence also made sure to secure the visit
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Khaled Mashaal clarified during his visit that the Hamas organization is independent in its decisions and unlike the Islamic Jihad organization that receives instructions from Iran, it is the Hamas leadership that determines when to enter into a military conflict with Israel.
Jordanian sources say that Khaled Mashaal presented a new image of the Hamas organization, a pragmatic image and balanced politically without renouncing the principle of the armed struggle against Israel.
Khaled Meshaal’s visit to Jordan was positive and he preserved the honor of the Hashemite Kingdom and King Abdullah, but Jordan is still very wary of the possibility of allowing the Hamas organization to reopen its offices in Amman.
King Abdullah still considers the Hamas organization as a dangerous entity that could undermine his rule and prefers the Palestinian Authority as the only official entity that represents the Palestinians.
