The head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh says that the Resistance was unified in its battle against “Israel” thanks to efforts made by Palestinian Resistance groups, Iran, and Hezbollah.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, speaks after a meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Bierut, Lebanon, 28 June 2021 (Reuters)
The Resistance had the upper ground in the last battle of Operation Avenging the Free as it managed its work through the joint operations room, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh said on Sunday.
Haniyeh said that the Resistance “thwarted the enemy’s attempt to impose new equations” by “singling out Al-Quds Brigades or driving a wedge between them [Resistance groups],” adding that the Resistance worked in harmony as integrated all its abilities to achieve the goals it set out for the battle.
Haniyeh extended his greetings and appreciation to the Joint Operations Room, mentioning particularly the Al-Quds Brigades for the leading role it adopted in the battle, as he thanked the countries and people who aided the Resistance in altering the balance of power with “Israel”. The leader pointed to Iran and Hezbollah’s exceptional role in completing that process.
Furthermore, the Hamas official thanked the Arab Republic of Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations for their mediation efforts that ensured a cease-fire that was agreed to Saturday night.
“Israel” launched an assassination campaign against leaders of the Palestinian Resistance, murdering 3 leaders alongside children and family members on Tuesday. Haniyeh described the assassinations as treacherous, adding that they will not bring security to “Israel”.
“The assassination of the leaders will bring more resistance,” Haniyeh said, adding that the enemy miscalculated and will pay the price for the crimes it committed.
The Israeli aggression on Gaza lasted for 5 days and led to the martyrdom of 33 Palestinian, 30% of whom were children, as Israeli bombs injured 190 others, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
In a statement on Saturday, the Operations Room said that “a round of fighting, resistance, and steadfastness has ended, but our resistance has once again emerged more powerful and aggressive.”
Former Israeli Security and Finance Minister and current head of the “Israel is Our Home” party, Avigdor Lieberman, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza Strip policies and said, “It is not possible to live between one round of fighting and another, just as much as another Hezbollah in the south cannot be tolerated.”
Lieberman explained that “Hamas was sitting in the same operations room with the Islamic Jihad,” noting that “Hamas is the one that determines the rules of the game and no one is making it pay.”
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Israeli vehicle near Aqbat Jabr camp during a raid by occupation forces (Monday, April 10, 2023).
Palestinian resistance fighters were on Monday confronting Israeli raids in Nablus and near Jericho in the West Bank, as provocative incursions by Zionist settlers at Al-Aqsa Mosque proceeded.
A Palestinian youth was martyred and several others were injured as Israeli occupation forces raided Aqbat Jabr refugee camp, southwest of Jericho.
The Israeli raid prompted fierce clashes with Palestinians who rushed to defend the camp.
Update: lsraeli occupation forces kill a Palestinian youth in Aqbat Jarb camp. pic.twitter.com/OBE9rpmCad
The latest Israeli offensive took the number of Palestinians martyred by Israeli fire since start of 2023 to more than 95. Elsewhere in Nablus, an Israeli officer and a soldier were injured as Palestinian resistance repelled a pre-dawn raid in the northern West Bank city, Israeli media reported. Nablus-based Lions’ Den resistance group announced its fighters engaged in a clash with occupation forces who raided the city.
بالفيديو والصور| إصابات واعتقالات خلال اشتباكات مسلحة مع الاحتلال في #نابلس و #الخليل
Palestinian media reported that a Palestinian, named Abdul Rahman Akouba, was arrested and several Palestinians were wounded during the raid.
Israeli occupation military said troops came under fire by Palestinian fighters as they were exiting the city, The Times of Israel reported, adding that two military vehicles were hit.
Meanwhile, groups of Zionist settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem), guarded by Israeli occupation forces.
So far, more than 1,500 Zionist settlers stormed the holy compound, Al-Qastal Palestinian media outlet reported.
Overnight, Israeli occupation forces attacked Palestinian women at the holy Mosque, forcing them to leave the compound.
On the other hand, hundreds of IOF-backed Israeli settlers blocked Route 60, the main north-south road for Palestinian traffic in the occupied West Bank, near the town of Huwwara in the occupied West Bank.
Hundreds of IOF-guarded Israeli settlers block Route 60, the main north-south road for Palestinian traffic in the occupied West Bank, near the town of Huwwara in the occupied West Bank, today. pic.twitter.com/QsXex3ZgnG
Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and so-called National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as well as five other Israeli ministers joined the settlers in a provocation to Palestinian people.
Settlers stomrs Jabal Sbeih near Nablus, with occupation forces firing tear gas at residents of Palestinian town of Beita.
Palestinian Red Crescent announced that 56 Palestinians suffocated from tear gas.
Earlier on Sunday, Head of the Hamas politburo Ismail Hnaiyeh wrapped his visit to Lebanon, where he met Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah. The two leaders voiced readiness of the Axis of Resistance to confront Israeli aggression in Palestine with all means.
Source: Palestinian and Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah meets with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, and the leaders discussed the latest developments in occupied Palestine.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, right, meeting with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, June 29, 2021. (AP)
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah received on Saturday Hamas the chief of Hamas’s Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, and his deputy, Saleh Al-Arouri, both of whom were heading a Hamas delegation.
Sayyed Nasrallah discussed with the Hamas delegation the latest developments in occupied Palestine and the incidents that were taking place in Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the uptick in resistance in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah’s media relations office said in a statement.
The parties to the meeting discussed the latest regional political developments, as well as the preparedness of the axis of resistance and the coordination and cooperation of all of its members in the face of the latest challenges.
The meeting comes in light of tensions in Al-Aqsa Mosque over the continuous Israeli raids against it, as well as the brutalization of Palestinians stationing themselves in the holy site.
The Israeli occupation forces on Sunday turned the courtyards of Al-Aqsa mosque into military barracks in a bid to provide protection for the illegal settlers storming the Muslim holy site on the fourth day of Passover.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Al-Quds said scores of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in Groups from the Moroccan Gate, adding that they carried out provocative tours and performed some rites under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.
Occupied Al-Quds has witnessed stark tensions since the onset of the week, which kicked off with the Israeli occupation raiding the holy site and assaulting the Palestinians who are stationed there as part of the religious practice of Itikaf.
The IOF’s provocations sent settlers into a frenzy, with Israeli media reporting that the current situation resembled the time leading up to the Seif Al-Quds battle, adding that “an incident in Al-Aqsa can also be dragged into a wide confrontation” this time.
The first round of aggression spurred up a week of Israeli violence and Palestinian confrontation that spread all over the occupied state in various forms, from rallies to resistance operations.
The raids have drawn international condemnation and sparked concerns within the Israeli occupation about the severity of the security situation and how the occupation’s actions were backfiring.
According to a report by Al-Mayadeen TV, a high-ranking delegation from the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas is expected to visit Syria in October, embarking on their first official visit to reconcile ties.
The delegation will be led by the head of the Arab and Islamic Relations Portfolio and Hamas deputy chief in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Khalil al-Hayya.
No details have been provided by either side on the schedule of the visit nor whom the resistance faction will meet, especially regarding a possible meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Both sides assess that its not yet possible for head of the political bureau in Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, to visit Syria as a result of his old public anti-Damascus remarks.
The reported visit is part of a recent push by the political leadership of Hamas to extend its hands to all Arab states and reestablish a bridge with all countries capable of opposing Israel.
On 15 September, Haniyeh, revealed in an interview to RT that the group is working on restoring ties with Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Haniyeh highlighted that Hamas stands on equal terms with all of its Arab and international partners and “does not interfere in the internal affairs of any of these countries.”
His statement was seen by many as being directed towards Syria, in a bid to affirm that Hamas has abandoned its stand against Damascus, dating back to when it favored Turkish-backed opposition groups in 2011.
The reconciliation with Syria is of great importance to Hamas, due to its strategic role in the Axis of Resistance and support for the factions in Gaza, notably the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
This recent push by Hamas to move away from the decision taken in 2012 to leave Syria was only possible after Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan normalized ties with Israel earlier this year.
Additionally, Erdogan’s public comments about a possible meeting with Assad and the confirmation that Syrian and Turkish intelligence are coordinating have contributed to the current developments.
Nonetheless, the efforts made by the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, played a crucial role in the arming of ties between Hamas and Damascus.
Nasrallah’s effort focused on persuading Syria to accept Hamas again, and overcome the “pain” caused by the group’s decision to abandon the country when it needed allies the most.
Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh arrives in Moscow to discuss international developments and their effects on the Palestinian cause.
Ismail Haniyeh arrives in Moscow heading a delegation from Hamas
The head of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh arrived on Saturday in the Russian capital, Moscow, accompanied by a delegation from the movement’s leadership.
In a press statement, the media advisor to Hamas political bureau chief, Taher Al-Nono, said that Haniyeh “has arrived in Moscow on a visit during which he intends to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a number of Russian leaders and officials.”
The movement’s delegation includes the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, Saleh Al-Arouri, in addition to the two members of the Political Bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk and Maher Salah, according to the statement.
Al-Nono indicated that “this visit, which comes at the invitation of the Russian Foreign Ministry, will last for several days and aims to discuss prospects for bilateral relations to serve the Palestinian cause.”
The visit comes “at a very important time at the level of the region and the world, as international developments and changes related to the region and their effects on the Palestinian cause will be discussed,” Al-Nono added, praising at the same time the relationship with Russia and its stances on Palestine.
This visit comes after a high-level delegation from Hamas, headed by the Head of the Hamas’ international relations office Moussa Abu Marzouk, visited Moscow last May and aimed to hold talks with Russian officials on a number of important files related to the developments of the Palestinian cause.
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Moscow had indicated that Haniyeh would visit Moscow soon. Haniyeh headed to Moscow and met with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in March 2020.
Moscow had criticized the stances of Western countries in dealing with the recent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, indicating at the time that “the West is very concerned about the situation in Ukraine… while it is indifferently watching the Israelis kill the Palestinians and destroy the Gaza Strip,” describing the matter as a continuation of the “Western propaganda machine.”
On 21 June, two unnamed Hamas sources told Reuters that the Palestinian resistance movement had decided to restore ties with Damascus following a decade-long rift after Hamas expressed support for the Syrian opposition.
The news caused a row, and it seems that this may have been the purpose behind its leak.
Shortly after the report, dozens of websites, satellite channels and media commentators in Turkey, Qatar, and the UK who are sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood – the political Islamist group to which Hamas belongs ideologically – distanced themselves from Hamas, which has neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
However, comments made by the head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has added credence to these claims.
In a speech before the National Islamic Conference in Beirut, on 25 June, Haniyeh said, “The time has come after ten years to make historic reconciliations in the Islamic nation.”
“What is happening in the region today is very dangerous as Israel is paving the way through military and security alliances to fight Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas,” he added.
So how accurate are the reports about “high-profile” secret meetings between Hamas and the Syrians? Is there a relationship between Haniyeh’s visit to Beirut and the timing of these revelations?
The heavy legacy of Khaled Meshaal
When Hamas left Syria over a decade ago, the office of Khaled Meshaal, who was the head of the movement’s Political Bureau at the time, justified the decision as stemming from “moral premises.”
They contended that the Hamas movement stands with the people in deciding who will rule them, saying “even if the ruler supports our right, we will not support his falsehood.” This reverberated within the movement, and the majority of its popular base supported “Syrian revolution” in the face of “the regime that is slaughtering its people.”
That was back in 2011, when the so-called Arab Spring helped sweep the Muslim Brotherhood (MB or Ikhwan) and its affiliates into power in Egypt and Tunisia, and paved the way for the MB-aligned Syrian armed opposition to take control of the outskirts of Damascus. .
But only four years later (2015), the picture was completely reversed: Egypt’s Mohammed Morsi was ousted in a Gulf-backed military coup; Tunisian President Kais Saied turned against the Brotherhood’s Ennahda party and removed it completely from the political scene. And Damascus gradually regained control over the vital parts of Syria.
In the wider region, the regime of Omar Al-Bashir fell in Sudan, and the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence in Libya, Yemen, Jordan and Kuwait was severely diminished.
New leadership, a new direction
It was inevitable that these significant region-wide changes would also transform Hamas’ leadership to reflect the new political scene. In 2017, Ismail Haniyeh was appointed head of the Political Bureau, while that same year, Yahya Al-Sinwar, who was released from Israeli prisons in 2011, became the leader of the movement in Gaza.
Seen as a hawk, Sinwar relies on the absolute support of the movement’s military arm, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and as such, introduced a new political approach to Hamas’ regional relations.
Although Sinwar’s first move was to reorganize relations with Cairo after a four-year estrangement, by far his most important change was to revive Hamas’ relations with the Axis of Resistance, making it the movement’s top foreign policy priority.
Within a few years, the Hamas leader in Gaza had re-established full relations with Iran and Hezbollah, but its return to Damascus still remains the biggest obstacle.
In order to thaw the ice with Syria, Iran mediated first, followed by Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and more recently, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This deadlock was not broken until after the Hamas operation “Sword of Jerusalem” in May 2021.
Testing the waters
In that same month, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad responded to a greeting from Al Qassam Brigades, conveyed by the Secretary General of PIJ Ziad Al-Nakhaleh, with a corresponding greeting. After that, contacts began to increase between Syrian officials and Hamas leaders.
Syrian sources informed The Cradle that a year ago it was decided to “reduce security measures against a number of Hamas members in Syria, release a number of detainees, and reveal the fate of other missing persons.”
But that didn’t achieve normalcy between Syria and Hamas either. There are those within the latter, it appears, who continue to sabotage progress made with Damascus.
To understand the dynamics of this particular relationship – present and its future – it is necessary to review its stages throughout the years.
From Amman to Damascus
Hamas began paving the way for its relationship with Syria in the early 1990s through visits made by its official Musa Abu Marzouk. In 1992, Mustafa Al-Ledawi was appointed as the head of an unofficial office for the Hamas in Damascus.
The great leap occurred with the visit of the founder of Hamas, the late Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, to Damascus in 1998. This official visit, and the warm reception accorded Yassin, constituted a huge breakthrough in relations, after which the late President Hafez Al-Assad authorized Hamas’ official presence in Syria, providing it with political and security facilities and logistical and material support.
Despite previous bad blood between Damascus and the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, notably in regard to the Hama massacre in 1982, there were several prudent reasons for the Syrian government and Hamas to collaborate.
One reason can be traced to the rivalry between Hafez Assad and the late Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat, who sided with the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War (1990–91) after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on 2 August, 1990.
On 21 November, 1999, a plane carrying Hamas’ then-political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal landed at Damascus airport, after being expelled from Jordan and refused a reception by many Arab capitals.
Since then, a number of political bureau members relocated to Damascus, and Hamas’ activities in Syria intensified. Between 2000 and 2010, the relationship further strengthened over several events, including the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the 2005 withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, the 2006 July war between Israel and Hezbollah, and most importantly, the Israeli aggression against Gaza in 2008.
Syrian support
Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahar, who was interviewed by The Cradle in Gaza, talks about an important detail that the media did not mention at the time. When Hamas formed its first government in Gaza in 2007, in which Zahar was foreign minister, “Syria was the only Arab country that recognized the diplomatic red passport issued from Gaza.”
Zahar says: “The Syrian leadership gave us everything. On my first visit to Damascus, we were able to solve the problem of hundreds of Palestinian refugees stuck on the Syrian-Iraqi borders, and Syria adopted the Palestinian calling code (+970), and expressed its willingness to provide support to the elected Palestinian government. For that, it faced an Arab, international, and American war.”
Today, Zahar is the designated official tasked by Sinwar to revive the relationship with Damascus. This was confirmed by sources in Hamas, who said that he traveled to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, and may head from there to Damascus.
These details are meaningful: it means Egypt is spared the censure of allowing Zahar to travel to Syria, and would avoid an awkward situation for Cairo in front of the US, Israelis and Gulf Arabs.
From Damascus to Doha and Ankara
The Syrian crisis that erupted in March 2011 put Hamas in a unique bind of its own making. Fellow Palestinian Islamists in PIJ, for example, did not take a radical position on the “revolution” from 2011 to 2017, and were content with maintaining their offices in Damascus, although its political and military leadership relocated to Beirut due to deteriorating security conditions.
On the other hand, Hamas issued its first statement regarding the Syrian crisis on 2 April, 2011, in which it affirmed its support for the Syrian people and leadership, and considered that “Syria’s internal affairs concern the brothers in Syria… We hope to overcome the current circumstances in order to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people, and preserve Syria’s stability and its internal cohesion, and strengthening its role in the line of confrontation and opposition.”
This wishy-washy statement did not hide the hostile stance of the movement’s members and elites, who all adopted the anti-Syrian narrative. On 5 November, 2011, the Syrian security forces stormed the offices of Hamas, confiscated its assets, and shuttered them.
In early 2012, Meshaal traveled to Doha, Qatar, before holding a scheduled meeting with Bashar Al-Assad. Hamas declared that the meeting “will not be useful.”
Hamas and the opposition
On 8 December, 2012, the movement burned bridges with Damascus when Meshaal and Haniyeh raised the flag of the “Syrian revolution” during a celebration marking the movement’s launch in the Gaza Strip in front of tens of thousands of their supporters.
In a parade held during the celebration, a number of members of the Al-Qassam Brigades wore the opposition flag on their backs.
The Syrian government’s reaction was no less restrained. Assad accused Hamas of actively participating in the war against the Syrian state by supporting Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate Jabhat Al-Nusra, and by providing instructions to opposition factions on ways to dig tunnels and fortify them to withstand aerial bombardment.
Other opposition militant groups such as Bait Al-Maqdis, Faylaq Al-Rahman and Army of Huda announced that they were affiliated with Hamas.
Once an Ikhwani, always an Ikhwani
In 2016, Assad said in an interview with Syrian newspaper Al-Watan: “We supported Hamas not because they are Muslim Brotherhood, but rather we supported them on the grounds that they are resistance. In the end, it was proven that the Ikhwani (member of Muslim Brotherhood) is Ikhwani wherever he puts himself, and from the inside remains a terrorist and hypocrite.”
All this may seem a thing of the past, but it still affects the formation of a new relationship between the two parties, especially after the return of turncoat Meshaal and his team a year ago to important leadership positions in Hamas.
Although the majority of the movement’s leadership has changed, the old legacy of Meshaal still weighs heavily on everyone, especially in Damascus. There are many in Syria who still warn the “wound is open;” that Hamas has not yet closed it, but rather wants a “free return.”
Understanding Hamas’ structure
Before explaining Hamas’ recent decision to restore ties with Syria, it is necessary to know how the movement is run to ensure representation and accountability. Hamas has a Shura Council of 15 members, chosen in elections in which cadres of certain organizational ranks participate.
These cadres choose their representatives in the local advisory councils from different regions (West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem, territories occupied in 1948, and prisons). As for members of Hamas’ base, they elect their representatives in the General Consultative Council, which in turn elects the Political Bureau.
Despite this ‘healthy democracy,’ the position on Syria produced two contradictory currents:
The first current is led by Meshaal, who was head of the Political Bureau until 2017. It includes Ahmed Youssef, a former adviser to Haniyeh, and Nayef Rajoub, one of the most prominent leaders of Hamas in the West Bank.
The second current has no specific leader, but Zahar was the public face before Sinwar joined him.
Between these two viewpoints, Ismail Haniyeh and Musa Abu Marzouk maintain a state of ‘pragmatism’ by taking a middle position between the Qatar-Turkey axis and the Axis of Resistance.
Although the decision to leave Syria was taken with the full approval of the members of the Shura Council and members of the Political Bureau, the entire burden of the decision was placed on Meshaal. The man, who was a personal friend of Assad and Secretary General of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah, became blacklisted by the Axis of Resistance.
Meshaal’s influence
All prior efforts to restore relations between Hamas and Syria were a “waste of time” as long as Meshaal was at the helm of the movement. This was not only the opinion of the Syrians, but of many Iranians as well.
In 2015, for example, when there were media reports about efforts to restore Hamas-Syrian relations, the Iranian Tabnak website (supervised by General Mohsen Rezaei, a leader in the Revolutionary Guards and currently one of the advisors to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei) launched a scathing attack against Meshaal.
At that time, Meshaal had refused to visit Tehran if he was not received at the highest levels – that is – to meet specifically with Khamenei. The Tabnak website wrote: “Meshaal and the Hamas leaders lined up two years ago on the side of the international terrorists in Syria… They are now setting conditions for the restoration of relations between Hamas and Iran as if Iran did not have any conditions.”
Since that time, Meshaal and his team have remained staunchly reluctant to even talk about restoring relations with Damascus. In addition to their loyalty (to some extent) to Turkey and Qatar, they were aware that reviving relations would weaken their organizational position within Hamas, and contribute to increasing the influence of their rivals.
On the other hand, these rivals remained weak until 2017, as Meshaal managed to marginalize Mahmoud Al-Zahar who did not receive any influential positions.
Re-joining the Resistance Axis
The formation of the new Political Bureau meant there were now a large number of officials who were not involved in any public positions on the Syrian crisis – such as Sinwar, Saleh Al-Arouri, and Osama Hamdan, who maintained a balanced relationship with all parties.
Zahar told The Cradle that Sinwar was “convinced” of his theses about the shape of the “last battle with Israel.” He added: “I spoke with Abu Ibrahim (Sinwar) for a long time about restoring the bond with the components of the nation that have hostility to Israel, specifically Hezbollah, Syria and Iran, and this is the pillar of Hamas’ foreign policy in the future.”
Nevertheless, Zahar believes that Damascus “will refuse to deal with the movement’s leadership, which took the lead during the war.” But it is likely that the Syrians will accept to deal with him personally, which he will seek during his forthcoming visit.
What’s Next?
Well-informed sources in Hamas revealed to The Cradle that the movement’s Political Bureau met this month and made the decision to return to Syria, despite Meshaal’s objection.
The resolution has two aims: first, to build a resistance front in the “ring countries” surrounding Palestine; and second, to establish a maritime line of communication between Gaza and the port of Latakia, in Syria.
The sources also revealed that Jamil Mezher, who was recently elected deputy secretary general of the PFLP, conveyed a message from Sinwar to the Syrian leadership calling for the restoration of relations between the two parties.
After his visit to Damascus, Mezher met with Haniyeh in Beirut to discuss the results. Haniyeh also met Nasrallah, as well as Ziad Al-Nakhaleh in an expanded meeting of the leaderships of Hamas and the PIJ in the Lebanese capital. All these events took place in one week.
According to Hamas sources, Haniyeh informed Nasrallah that the movement has unanimously taken an official decision to restore relations with Damascus. The two sides also discussed the demarcation of the maritime border between Lebanon and Israel.
The sources confirm that “Hamas is ready to simultaneously target gas-stealing platforms from the Gaza sea, in the event that Hezbollah targets an exploration and extraction vessel in the Karish field.”
Hamas sources, as well as an informed Syrian source, however, deny holding any recent new meetings between the two parties. The Syrian source reveals that meetings sponsored by Islamic Jihad were held last year.
What does Syria stand to gain?
On the other hand, Damascus has its reasons for postponing the return of this relationship. Of course, internal reasons can be overlooked if Bashar Al-Assad himself makes the decision.
But it is the current regional situation and the re-formation of alliances that worries the Syrian leadership the most.
It is true that Assad the son, like his father, has learned the ropes in dealing with the MB, but now he has no need for a new headache caused by the return of Hamas. There is no great benefit from this return except in one case: the normalization of Syrian relations with Turkey, Qatar, or both.
On Syria’s terms
Only in this scenario, can bridges be re-built with Hamas. But the conditions for this are currently immature, as this normalization will be at the expense of Syria’s relationship with its ally Russia, whether in the issue of gas supplies to Europe or stopping the military operation that Ankara is threatening against Kurdish terrorists in northern Syria.
Syria, which has already improved its relations with the UAE, and is currently working to improve its relations with Saudi Arabia and Jordan, will not include a “losing card” in its stack of cards now.
It will also not compete with Egypt over a file – the relationship with Hamas – which Cairo considers its monopoly in the region.
Also, Damascus is not in the midst of a clash of any kind with the Palestinian Authority and the Fatah movement, which took advantage of the exit of Hamas to consolidate their position in the Syrian capital and improve their relationship with Assad.
However, when news broke about the possible resumption of Hamas-Syrian relations, this time Damascus did not launch an attack on the movement and did not comment negatively on the news of the rapprochement and the restoration of the relations – as it did previously.
There is no doubt that the battle of the “Sword of Jerusalem” and the presence of a new leadership in Hamas’ Political Bureau has thawed the ice significantly. But the answer to when full rapprochement will be achieved is a decision likely to be made between Assad and Nasrallah.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Cradle.
Palestinian leaders meet in Algeria. (Photo: via Algérie Information TW Page)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met on Tuesday with the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, Algerian media reported.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reportedly succeeded in bringing the two leaders together for the first time in years. The post included a video clip showing Abbas, Haniyeh and the Algerian president shaking hands, with other Palestinian officials present.
🎥 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune hosted a meeting between Hamas leader Ismail Haniyyeh and the PLO and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, for the first time in years.
— Dwi_4Palestine🇮🇩🇵🇸❤🌹 (@dwi_PAL1109) July 6, 2022
The Algerian presidency deleted the post about 20 minutes after posting it, but then re-posted the same video with the entry:
“The President of the Republic, Abdel Majid Tebboune, brings together, in a historic meeting on the side-lines of the 60th independence celebrations in Algeria, the Palestinian brothers, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, and his accompanying delegation, and the delegation of Hamas, led by the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, after many years of not meeting around the same table.”
Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported that Abbas “informed his brother President Tebboune of the latest political developments related to the Palestinian cause, and the practices of the occupation and its aggression against our people, which undermine the chances of peace and the two-state solution.”
WAFA added that the two presidents discussed “means of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and nations, in addition to many international and regional issues of common interest.”
Abbas also attended the large military parade held by Algeria, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its independence and the restoration of its sovereignty, which was performed by the Algerian army.
The Palestinian and Lebanese resistance factions commemorate the martyrdom of the founder of the Popular Resistance Committees and its military wing, Al-Nasser Saladin Brigades, Jamal Abu Samhadana.
From the commemoration of Palestinian martyr Jamal Abu Samhadana on July 1, 2022
The Lebanese and Palestinian resistance factions commemorated Friday the martyrdom of Secretary-General Jamal Abu Samhadana, the founder of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), and its military wing, Al-Nasser Saladin Brigades. The commemoration was attended by representatives of various Lebanese and Palestinian resistance factions such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Work must continue until ‘Israel’ despairs: Hezbollah
Settlements and agreements have not brought back one inch of land, while the resistance liberated land in Gaza and Lebanon, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said during the commemoration.
“We must continue working until Israel despairs trying to draw up its borders, and those who have resistance have the present and the future. The resistance must develop its capabilities beyond any limits,” he underlined.
“The war against Israel will not end until it ceases to exist, and the resistance everywhere is unified in confronting [the Israeli occupation],” the Hezbollah official added.
Samhadana broke partisanship: Hamas
Martyr Samhadana was one of the heroic leaders of resistance on Palestinian soil, said Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. “[He was one of the] turning points in the path of the Intifada, jihad, giving, and sacrificing in the sake of God, then the sake of Palestine and the sake of liberating Al-Aqsa and Al-Quds from the occupying invaders.”
“We are before a Palestinian icon who sacrificed himself, his possession, and his family for the [Palestinian flag] to fly high and to protect the dignity of Palestine and the Palestinian people,” Haniyeh added.
“The martyr broke the barriers of partisanship and the factions. Through his home, he was able to provide protection and shelter for Hamas and Ezzedine Qassam leaders, such as martyr Yahya Ayyash, brotherly leader Mohammad Deif, and jihadist leader Mohammad Al-Sinwar in the nineties, when they were in the iron sights of those close to them and their enemies,” he stressed, praising Samhadana’s role in the Palestinian struggle.
Martyrs, resistance fighters are able to stop collapse: PIJ
“The martyrs and those bearing arms are capable of putting an end to the collapse and bringing back balance to the Ummah,” PIJ leader Ziad Al-Nakhalah said. “They want the future of our region to be an alliance like NATO that extends from North Africa to the Gulf.”
“The martyrs are reshaping life with greater strength and determination than ever. We would not have a dignified life without the martyrs. The Zionist arrogance and corruption fill up our sky, air, and life, and the martyrs go from our ranks to bring an end to the humiliation and create a new world that is void of treacherous people,” Al-Nakhalah explained.
“The martyred founder of the Popular Resistance Committees, great leader Jamal Abu Samhadana, came out to tell all of those who were in the enemy’s corner that this was not their way, and the Palestinian people would not give up their rights and the history of Palestine in exchange for false promises, empty illusions, and agreements that gave the enemy our dreams and our children’s futures,” he said.
The resistance leader praised and thanked the Jenin Battalion and all of the factions that carry out resistance operations against the occupation in the Jenin refugee camp, Nablus, the West Bank, and the occupied territories. He also hailed the martyrs whom the Israeli occupation murdered.
“These are the days of Palestinian resistance that span Gaza and its heroic resistance fighters and the West Bank and Al-Quds. From leader Abu Samhadana in Gaza to leader Jamil Al-Amouri in Jenin. It is the tree of Jihad. It has firm roots, and its branches are in the sky.
PA must end security coordination: PRC
The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) still adhere to its principles, PRC Secretary-General Ayman Al-Shishniyeh said, explaining that the principles entailed “confronting the occupation and rejecting any regional alliance that includes the Zionist enemy.”
Al-Shishniyeh then warned the Israeli occupation against its aggressive acts toward Palestinian prisoners and called on the Palestinian authority to “stop [its] security coordination [with ‘Israel’] and stop betting on the failing US administration.”
At the same time as the commemoration in Lebanon, there was a memorial service in the Gaza Strip that saw several resistance factions and mass crowds participating to commemorate the martyrdom of Samhadana.
A recent report that Hamas and Syria reestablished relations after a decade of rupture between them is a source of concern for ‘Israel,’ according to comments made by senior researcher at the ‘Institute for Counter-Terrorism’ in Herzliya, Michael Barak, to the Jewish News Syndicate.
According to Barak, the reports of a new breakthrough in ties between Damascus and Hamas appear credible.
“Hezbollah in Lebanon was involved in this reconciliation,” he said. “The efforts led to a green light from Hamas and the Syrian regime. Why did it happen now? It took time for Hezbollah to mediate and for relations to thaw.”
“This is a source of concern for ‘Israel’ because we know that Hamas is building up its presence in the north of Lebanon. If Hamas opens a headquarters in Syria, it can start building capabilities in Syria, too,” cautioned Barak.
Looking ahead, Barak posited a scenario in which Hamas could act as the arrowhead of Palestinian resistance groups in Syria with the blessing of Hezbollah and Iran.
On June 23, Hamas’ Political Bureau Head Ismail Haniya met with Hezbollah Secretary-General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut in their first meeting in a year.
The two resistance leaders discussed the anti-‘Israel’ Axis of Resistance.
Also in Beirut recently, Hezbollah has held a series of meetings with other Palestinian resistance factions.
“The goal is to find a way to unite ranks and to discuss how to strengthen the Palestinian ‘bloc’ in the resistance axis,” Barak said.
“Hamas is trying to create a command and control mechanism with other Palestinian factions in Lebanon so that it can operate in a more efficient manner from Lebanon, and now, Syria’s door is open, too. This is a force multiplier,” he stated.
The following exclusive pictures show Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, the head of Hamas Resistance Movement Ismail Haniyeh and the accompanying Palestinian delegation.
The background of the pictures display Al-Aqsa Mosque with a fist determined to liberate it. An Arabic statement also appears in the pictures, meaning “The beloved will be liberated.”
Sayyed Nasrallah welcomed Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh and the accompanying delegation to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and Palestine. The conferees affirmed cooperation among all the components of the axis of resistance.
Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah received the head of Hamas politburo Ismail Haniya and his accompanying delegation.
During the meeting, various political and field developments in Palestine, Lebanon, and the region were discussed, in addition to the development of the Axis of Resistance, the threats, challenges, and opportunities it is facing.
The attendees affirmed the decisive cooperation of all sides within this Axis to serve the central goal which is related to al-Quds, the sanctities, and the Palestinian Cause.
Israel is desperate to re-establish the ‘deterrence equation’ it lost last May, while the Palestinian resistance intends to do everything necessary to maintain and advance it.
After enduring heavy Israeli provocations during the holy month of Ramadan, Palestinians will be tested again this Sunday with the Flag March – an annual Jewish celebration of the 1967 capture of Palestine’s Old City in East Jerusalem.
Tensions are rife in Jerusalem. This year and next, Ramadan falls on the same month as Jewish religious holidays, each offering a pretext for Israeli extremists to taunt, injure, and kill Palestinians in occupied lands.
So if Sunday’s march doesn’t provoke a conflagration, there is still 2023 to contend with.
Israel can no longer control outcomes
For years, Israel has been surveilling Palestinian movements in an effort to predict the eruption of a new uprising (Intifada), but has been unable to determine when it will take place.
Last March, for example, a report by the Israeli Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet) identified several incidents that could lead to a large-scale confrontation in Palestine – and the likely locations for it. And, indeed, the expected happened.
But what the Shin Bet report did not say was that Israel itself is pushing for this confrontation so that it can choose the time and place in order to try to control the outcome.
The evidence abounds: Israel allows hundreds, even thousands, of extremist settlers a free hand to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to perform Jewish Passover rites at the Muslim site. This year, they were not allowed to conduct animal sacrifices inside courtyard of the Mosque, but that may happen next year.
The Israeli army accompanies and protects Jewish settlers during their attacks on Palestinian cities, towns, and villages of the occupied West Bank. The examples are countless; the difficulty is in predicting the results of the ensuing clashes.
Tel Aviv seeks an escalation of tensions, but without a Palestinian reaction. While Israel presents itself as a secular state, its barely veiled ambition is to Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque and build the Temple of David over its ruins.
Israel’s strategy is to emulate the Ibrahimi Mosque model in Hebron: to incrementally divide Al-Aqsa by allocating times for Jews to perform religious rites within the courtyards of the mosque – then expand those rights. This is significantly equal to the construction of a Temple.
Palestinians thwarted Israel’s efforts during both this and last year’s Ramadan. Last month, their resistance factions were careful – particularly in the Gaza Strip – not to engage in a bloody confrontation, but allowed Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the 1948 areas to rise up instead.
The Flag March provocation
Israel’s right-wing government and parties know full well that canceling the Flag March – or even diverting its path away from Al-Aqsa – constitutes a submission to the Palestinian resistance factions.
Palestinians are now demanding the marchers be prevented from entering the Muslim Quarter of the Old City and Bab al-Amud. This is a dangerous request for a state like Israel that relies mainly on the principle of deterrence and the excessive use of force to subjugate its opponents.
The two reported routes that Israeli extremists will take through Jerusalem’s Old City before converging at the Al-Aqsa Mosque
About a week ago, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli security establishment was preparing for the Flag March with “high alertness for the possibility of escalation,” pointing out that “all the bodies, the Shin Bet, the army and the police, recommended that the march take place as planned.”
In short, the very security establishment that ostensibly seeks to quash opportunities for a Palestinian intifada, are recommending that Jewish marchers traipse through the historically sensitive Bab al-Amud.
The Israeli security establishment has warned that any change in the route “will be interpreted as Israeli weakness,” and has recommended a “fierce response” to any Palestinian action.
Although Israel claims it is ready for further clashes with Gaza, it tried to avoid this outcome during Ramadan. It seems, however, that Tel Aviv’s calculations have changed after a series of developments, which include Hamas Gaza Leader Yahya Sinwar’s threat – in a speech at the end of Ramadan – that the resistance will wage a war to defend its victories in the May 2021 Sayf Al Quds battle over the sanctity of Jerusalem.
The perceived higher threat level has made Israeli police, in several subsequent provocative activities organized by Jewish settlers, reduce their numbers in Al-Aqsa and ban them from raising Israeli flags.
Internal political collapse
Domestically, Israel is in trouble. The government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is in imminent danger of collapse. That possibility appears to increase if he shows inaction or failure in dealing with security issues, whether in the occupied West Bank or in the Gaza Strip.
Bennett’s government is under pressure from parties even further to his right, who represent a large number of Israeli votes that he does not want to lose. And hawkish former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, eager to return to the post he occupied for 15 years, is nipping at Bennett’s heels.
Amid the internal political crisis, Israel’s security establishment fears losing much of its deterrent power against Palestinian resistance factions, newly armed with enhanced missile technology, drone capabilities, and unprecedented field coordination. Indeed, the Israelis have come to feel that the factions are controlling the internal scene.
Is war imminent?
There are a number of indicators that a confrontation is more likely to unfold in the next few days than at any time this year.
First, on 9 May, the Israeli army launched its largest ever military exercise, Chariots of Fire, which involves nearly all units of the Israeli army, and simulates the outbreak of war on several fronts with Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.
Second, since the start of the maneuver, increased flights of reconnaissance planes – AWACS and others – have been observed over Gaza. Sources in the resistance factions interpret this as an attempt by the Israeli army to accumulate a new target bank to be used in any upcoming confrontation.
Third, Palestinian factions have raised their alert levels since the start of Israel’s military maneuvers. According to sources in Gaza, there are strict measures on the movements of the senior resistance military leaders and precautionary measures in the movement of monitoring units, as well as the cancellation of training courses.
Fourth, from a wholly Israeli point of view, the army believes it has not taken any action against Gaza since 2008. In its mind, in both 2014 and 2021, it was the resistance that decided to ‘launch a confrontation’ after Israel’s many provocations against Palestinians, including attacks, assassinations, and sieges.
But the Sayf al Quds (Sword of Jerusalem) war in May 2021, was the most dangerous Israel has encountered in recent decades. Small-scale Israeli aggressions in Jerusalem provoked all the occupied territories and unified Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem and 1948 Palestinians – depriving the Israeli security establishment of their ability to compartmentalize and control each of these four ‘units.’
For this fifth reason, there is an urgent Israeli need to re-establish the psychology of deterrence and to rearrange the Palestinian scene into a manageable and predictable state.
Sixth, the resistance estimates that Israel may take advantage of current tensions to carry out assassinations of their most influential leaders, especially Yahya Sinwar, Ziad al-Nakhaleh, Muhammad al-Deif and Marwan Issa. These leaders have contributed heavily to the increase in Israel’s threat perception by keeping their ranks battle-ready and by unifying the Gaza, Jerusalem and West Bank arenas of confrontation.
In anticipation of renewed targeted killings, Hamas Political Bureau Leader Ismail Haniyeh issued a warning in an 18 May letter to regional mediating states that any assassination policy adopted by Tel Aviv would lead to a major war. The resistance believes that Israel will use the cover of ongoing military maneuvers to direct a severe blow to their command and control centers in order to contain a harsh Palestinian reaction.
On the seventh point, noting that the Gaza resistance has not escalated its rhetoric – setting a date for firing rockets, for example – Israel decided to proceed with the Flag March, providing that another security assessment is conducted on the night prior.
As a Palestinian security source told The Cradle: “Something unusual should have happened to change the course of the march, because the threats until this moment are low-level.”
Then, in yet another unfolding development, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in his 25 May speech commemorating the liberation of southern Lebanon, announced – on behalf of the entire Axis of Resistance – that the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock “will lead to the detonation of the region.”
In the following hours, the plan for the Israeli Flag March was temporarily halted and attempts were made to reduce the heat. According to Israel Hayom newspaper, directly after Nasrallah’s speech, Israel made contact with Egypt, the United Nations, and Qatar to prevent further escalation.
Palestinian resistance factions, however, are in a state of absolute preparedness. They know not to be placated by deceptive Israeli statements, because they continue to observe active Israeli preparations on the ground. A resistance security source says Tel Aviv is frantic, and that there is an “urgent Israeli strategic interest to undermine the state of mutual deterrence between the resistance and the occupation.” Nothing will move Israel from this obsession to establish perceived strength.
The most clear expression of this was voiced by Yossi Yehoshua in Yedioth Ahronoth when he wrote that “all [Israeli] security chiefs warn that changing the course of the Flag March at the last minute will be interpreted as weakness.”
It’s getting hot in here
It is important to understand that the Israeli army pronounced Gaza “deterred” in May 2021, just before battles broke out across occupied Palestine. The Israeli army believed that Gaza would not react because it feared another Israeli military operation. Israel’s military establishment has, once again, made that same assessment this year.
But this is not necessarily true. The last hours leading up to Sunday’s Flag March may carry a new statement by the Chief of Staff of Al-Qassam Brigades Muhammad al-Deif, in which he renews intent to establish red lines around Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
Gaza resistance sources confirmed to The Cradle that although they tried to preserve the ‘deterrence equation’ without entering into a new confrontation during Ramadan, there is a strict decision to prevent Israel from reversing the advantages gained from last May’s Sayf al Quds war. Such a reversal, one source adds, “will mean an acceleration in the Judaization of the Holy City.”
Hours from now, 16,000 Jewish settlers will rally for the Flag March, waving Israel flags in besieged Palestinian areas, to signal their absolute sovereignty over the city, its neighborhoods, and its holy sites.
Until Sunday, many international and regional mediations will take place behind the scenes in an attempt to reach a solution. However, even if the event in Jerusalem passes without escalation, there are no indications that the operations in the Palestinian cities or the clashes in the West Bank will stop.
In the West Bank, the scene is developing quickly. The Jenin Brigade model has been replicated in other cities, such as Nablus and Tulkarm. Entering these cities, with their vast areas and overcrowded, heavily armed camps, will make staying on the brink of confrontation a permanent situation.
This scene, with all its details, suggests that periods of calm have become a thing of the past. Israel is well aware of this. The resistance factions believe that a battle is inevitable – if not now, then very soon, but they will not allow it to be on “the date set by the Israelis.”
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Cradle.
In commemoration of Seif Al-Quds Battle, Palestinian Resistance leaders and factions hail the resilience of the Palestinian people and underscore the role of the resistance against the Israeli enemy.
Haniyeh: Seif Al-Quds amplified our strategy, Al-Aqsa will be protected
The battle of Seif Al-Quds constituted an important turning point in the course of the struggle with the occupation and opened the door to a different battle, Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh said Sunday.
During the Great National Conference on the first anniversary of the battle of Seif Al-Quds, Haniyeh added that “the results of the Battle of Seif Al-Quds were not limited to Palestine’s geography, rather they were strategic and resounded throughout the world.”
“The first result of the Battle of Seif al-Quds was that the Resistance launching strikes from Gaza hit the Zionist security doctrine hard,” he added, noting that Gaza “drew the sword of Al-Quds and plunged it at the head of the occupier and struck deep in its conscience.”
Haniyeh added that every inch of the occupied Palestinian land was a target for the resistance with all its capabilities, noting that “the battle of Seif Al-Quds united the land, the people, and the cause, and removed geographical barriers within historic Palestine.”
He also stressed that the battle introduced a shift in the balance of power that served the Palestinian people, especially those in the territories occupied in 1948.
He pointed out that the support of the peoples of the Ummah and the world has led to a profound impact that would have an aftermath in the confrontations that the Palestinian people will wage against the Israeli occupation.
Regarding the continued threats of the occupation and settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque, Haniyeh stressed that the Resistance in Palestine is following up on these events, warning against any attacks on the holy site.
Nakhalah: The resistance will not allow Judaization attempts of Al-Aqsa
On his part, Palestinian Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziyad Al-Nakhalah affirmed that Al-Quds was the eternal capital of Palestine, stressing that “we will not allow Judaization attempts on Al-Aqsa” even if they had to relentlessly fight.
During the national conference held by Hamas on the first anniversary of Seif Al-Quds Battle, Al-Nakhalah pointed out that the “[judaization] attack targeting Al-Quds and its blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is still at its peak,” stressing that “the Resistance now holds more responsibility to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Al-Nakhalah stated that “the resilient Palestinian people are united, and the days of the month of Ramadan and the daily confrontations in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque bear witness to this.”
According to the official, “Protecting unity has become a duty and not an option in the course of protecting and safeguarding the resistance, especially in light of the hostile alliances that arise every day and serve the enemy’s interests.”
In this context, he referred to the funeral of the martyred journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, describing the day all Palestinians, Muslims, and Christians stood in solidarity in the face of Zionist brutality as a “momentous day”.
The PIJ leader further underlined that “adhering to the stances of the resistance is the only guarantee not to fall prey to the attempts of those trying to tame it for the benefit of the enemy and to accept the fait accompli.”
Al-Nakhalah ended his speech by saying, “The enemy leaders realized more than others that the founders of the Zionist project were ignorant, and those who gave them our country as a ‘homeland’ were even more ignorant.”
Palestinian Resistance factions: We will now allow breaking the rules of engagement
In a military statement on the occasion, the Joint Operation Room of the Palestinian Resistance factions recalled the Resistance’s great achievement in Seif Al-Quds Battle, which was fought a year ago with full force and vigor.
The statement proudly mentioned that Seif Al-Quds echoed from Gaza to Al-Quds, reaching the Palestinian diaspora and Palestinian supporters around the world, who voiced their solidarity with Palestine against the occupation. Cohesion and patriotism forced the occupation to cease fire, confirming the Resistance’s vitality and steadfastness.
The Palestinian Resistance marked a milestone during Seif Al-Quds battle, the statement added, confirming that the occupation is now facing an existential threat founded by the steadfast Resistance. The factions also stressed that the resistance fighters have left marks on the occupation that brings the glad tidings of nearing the liberation of Palestine.
The Palestinian resistance factions, in their joint statement, affirmed their and the Palestinian blood’s unity wherever it is found, whether in Gaza, the West Bank, Al-Quds, and the Palestinian diaspora, until the end of the Palestinian Nakba.
Regarding the “Flag March” organized by settlers, which is scheduled to take place next week, the factions affirmed that “the Palestinian people will absolutely not allow the breaking of the rules of engagement or the return to the square of provocations in which we have spoken with all force.”
Furthermore, the statement affirmed that the enemy’s practices and violations in all the occupied cities, as well as the calls to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, were reasons that motivate the resistance to maintain steadfastness and resilience.
Lastly, the resistance stressed that the factions were preparing at all levels for the battle that would liberate occupied Palestine and safeguard Palestine’s sanctity.
The statement was concluded with a pledge to the Palestinian people that the resistance would remain steadfast until victory and liberation.
In response to the cold-blooded killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by “Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF], the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has called for a unified command against the occupying regime.
In his remarks late on Friday, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Gaza-based resistance movement’s political bureau, urged the “speedy formation” of the command to lead the struggle against the “Israeli” entity.
The call came two days after 51-year-old Abu Akleh was brutally murdered while covering an “Israeli” military raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
The long-time Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist, who shot to fame while covering the second Palestinian Intifada between 2000 and 2005, was accompanying a group of local journalists when she was targeted.
Haniyeh said the Palestinian liberation struggle is going through a “new stage,” which demands the adoption of “incisive and strategic decisions”.
He said the unified command will be tasked with directing the resistance against the apartheid regime.
Formation of the unified front is indispensable in the light of the regime’s “bestiality,” which manifested itself in the “assassination of the daughter of Palestine,” Haniyeh said, referring to Abu Akleh.
The Hamas leader said Palestinians need to get their act together in the face of Tel Aviv’s unbridled aggression, advocating unity between different Palestinian political groups.
He cited examples of “Israeli” aggression such as the increase in settlement construction activities across the occupied territories, assaulting Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the holy occupied city of al-Quds, the longstanding and crippling siege of Gaza, detention of thousands of Palestinians, and denying them the right to return to their homeland.
Haniyeh called on the West Bank-headquartered Palestinian Authority [PA] to end its cooperation with the regime in Tel Aviv and scrap the so-called Oslo Accords, which were signed in 1993 and marked the first time the “Israeli” regime and the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] recognized each other.
The Oslo Accords were signed in the White House but named after Norway’s capital city, where the secret back-channel dialogue took place.
The Hamas leader urged the PA to withdraw its “recognition of ‘Israel’,” stop its “security cooperation” with Tel Aviv, “and concentrate on the resistance’s comprehensive plan for confronting the occupier.”
Pertinently, it came on the eve of Nakba Day, [the Day of Catastrophe], when in 1948 hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly evicted from their homeland and the “Israeli” entity came into existence as an illegal and illegitimate entity.
On the occasion of the International Al-Quds Day, the leaders of the Axis of Resistance underline their support for the Palestinian cause and Al-Quds.
Leaders of the resistance in the face of the Israeli occupation in West Asia
On the occasion of Al-Quds day, resistance figures from West Asia delivered addresses to voice their unequivocal support for occupied Palestine and its occupied capital, Al-Quds, against the Israeli occupation and its malicious plans for the country.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah underlined the importance of the Palestinian cause and how it had been gaining momentum as of late, “and you can find more supporters and resistance fighters who are ready to make sacrifices for [Palestine].”
“The enemy’s strategy relied on betting that over time, the world would forget about the Palestinian cause,” he said, though he did indicate that the status quo was completely different due to the beliefs, the resilience, and the vision of the peoples and countries of the Axis of Resistance.
“The growing Axis of Resistance must also be named the Axis of Al-Quds because it is the axis’ common central point,” Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted.
Al-Quds, according to the Hezbollah chief, has today an axis that is coming together to impose a new regional state of affairs to firstly defend it and secondly liberate it. He also touched on the efforts of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza, who he said were “creating epics” that have been shaking the Israeli occupation to the core.
“We, in Hezbollah, see ourselves as on the frontline alongside our brothers in the Palestinian resistance factions […] and all of those who belong [to this axis] are subject to blockades and sanctions whose goal is to make them give up Al-Quds, Palestine, and the principle of resistance,”Sayyed Nasrallah underscored.
However, he said resilience in the face of blockades, sanctions, and terrorism was a pivotal part of the resistance. “We are committed to our great martyrs in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen, spearheaded by Al-Quds’ martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani.”
Ismail Haniyeh
Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh spoke on the occasion by saying Al-Quds day came this year as Palestine and its Islamic and Christian sanctities undergo major events.
“The heroic operations clarified several facts, mainly that the choice of the resistance is that of the people, not that of a faction nor the elite. [The acts of resistance] consolidated the significance of the West Bank and its people in terms of confrontations with the Zionist enemy,” Haniyeh said.
The new wave of resistance, he clarified, underlines that the issue of Al-Quds, Al-Aqsa, the right to return, and the prisoners “cannot be solved on the negotiations table.”
Haniyeh also indicated that two factors pushed the Israeli occupation to expedite its plans to divide Al-Aqsa mosque, which he said were: Arab normalization with “Tel Aviv” and “Israel” “using the world’s occupation with the Ukraine war” to further violate the rights of Palestinians.
However, he stressed that despite all of the world’s major events, “Al-Quds and the Palestinian cause managed to make headlines once again.”
“There will be no peace nor security in the region unless the Palestinian people fully enjoy their right to their soil and country,” Haniyeh added.
In a similar vein, Haniyeh also underlined that the Israeli occupation’s attempt to cross more red lines and “commit more idiotic acts could turn this confrontation into a regional conflict.”
Head of Hamas' Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, on the occasion of #AlQuds Day: "Israel's attempts to cross the lines and commit further foolish acts may turn this bilateral conflict into a regional one."#Palestine#QudsDay2022https://t.co/ecPOwn7Dpw
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziyad Al-Nakhalah kicked off the speeches for the occasion by underlining the Palestinian people’s support for their country against the Israeli occupation.
“Our people are strong, and they continuously underline that they will not give up on Al-Quds […] we will not back down nor make any compromises,” Al-Nakhalah said on Tuesday.
The PIJ chief also praised Iran’s role when it came to the resistance, saying, “Iran embraces the resistance, and it opens many doors for the resistance fighters to achieve victory.”
He also highlighted that it was painful for the Palestinian people to be left by their brothers and sisters amid these conditions, noting that several countries had “sent congratulations messages to the [Israeli] occupation.”
Abu Ahmad Fouad
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Deputy Secretary-General Abu Ahmad Fouad said Al-Quds day was an affirmation that the rights of the oppressed peoples would not be lost with time.
He also praised the Islamic Republic’s role in combatting the Israeli occupation, saying, “Iran contributes and strongly supports the Axis of Resistance, especially the Palestinian resistance.”
“The free will of the Palestinian people and the backing of the Axis of Resistance will result in victory,” Fouad underlined.
Hadi al-Amiri
Iraqi Fatah Alliance chief Hadi Al-Amiri said, “We, alongside the Muslims and the free people of the world, stand in reverence of International Al-Quds Day,” and reminded that the Israeli occupation was still occupying Al-Aqsa mosque and usurping Palestinian land, which he stressed must end.
Al-Amiri stressed that the Palestinian cause and Al-Quds united the Muslim people regardless of their sects and the people of the world regardless of their religion, noting that Al-Quds day renewed hope for the supporters of the Palestinian cause.
“The Iraqi resistance factions feel the deep connection between the liberation of Iraq and the liberation of Al-Quds and all of the Palestinian land.”
“The liberation of Iraq from US hegemony is its liberation from the implicit, multi-form Zionist advance… and enmity toward the Axis of Resistance and defamation against it is an outrageous act that perpetuates normalization with the Zionist entity,” Al-Amiri stressed.
The Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Al-Quds, Archbishop Atallah Hanna, underlined that the occupied city of Al-Quds was and always would be for its people, “and the policies of colonization of occupation in it are invalid, illegal, and illegitimate.”
The Islamic and Christian sanctities in Al-Quds, Archbishop Hanna said, are targeted and violated by the Israeli occupation, and there are serious provocations in the city. “The people of Al-Quds are the true defenders of this holy land and the [religious] sanctities in the name of the world.”
“We are in one trench and, as one family, we defend Al-Quds, and the occupation will not be able to steal Al-Quds from its people […] on International Al-Quds Day, I call on the Palestinian people to put their problems aside,” Archbishop added.
Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi
Ansar Allah leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi affirmed from Yemen that International Al-Quds Day was an “occasion to remind the Ummah of its responsibilities, and an important occasion to unify the people on one cause.”
Yemen’s “flagrant, principled, and religious” stance on the rights of the Palestinian people is unwavering, and “the land of the Palestinian people must not be taken for granted, nor should their rights and sanctities.”
“The Axis of Resistance will aim to increase the level of cooperation and coordination within the framework of this sacred goal,” Al-Houthi said.
He also added that the Yemeni resistance and the people of Yemen have undertaken Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s approach: any existential threat to occupied Al-Quds automatically equates to a regional war.
A senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei lauded the recent achievements of Palestinian resistance groups, emphasizing Iran’s support for the people of Palestine.
Ali Akbar Velayati made the remarks in a Sunday phone call with Ismail Haniya, who heads the political office of the Gaza-based Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas.
“We follow your great victories and achievements and what you do is a cause of honor for the [anti-‘Israel’] resistance [front],” Velayati told Haniya.
He added, “You are a role model for the Muslim world.”
Haniya, for his part, said Iran was a strategic support base for the people of Palestine and the resistance.
“Our people and resistance are in good shape and we will continue to defend al-Aqsa [Mosque],” the Hamas official said.
The phone call came amid the escalation of violent Zionist attacks against the Palestinian people and holy sites across the occupied territories, especially al-Aqsa Mosque in the East al-Quds.
Since the beginning of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, the occupied West Bank has witnessed an escalation of ‘Israeli’ violence, with over two dozen Palestinians having been martyred and many more injured at the hands of the regime’s troops.
The uptick in the ‘Israeli’ killing and repression of Palestinians has been green-lit by Zionist Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who granted full freedom of action to ‘Israeli’ occupation forces earlier this month to intensify their brutal raids against Palestinians.
In the latest act of provocation against the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds, at least 19 Palestinians were injured in confrontations on Sunday as Zionist settlers stormed the sacred site under the protection of ‘Israeli’ occupation military forces.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” announced the starting of “Shield of al-Quds” maneuvers, aimed to enhance combat readiness and simulate different scenarios.
Al-Qassam Brigades added in a statement that these maneuvers are part of a series of ongoing military exercises conducted to simulate various forms of combat.
The military wing further stressed that, with the help of Allah, it will remain the defending sword and the protective shield of al-Quds until the occupation is defeated and the land, people, and sanctities are liberated.
Al-Quds Shield maneuver will include a display of new, qualitative military tactics, including missions mimicking the capture of Israeli soldiers.
Haniyeh: Al-Quds is the “center of the conflict with the enemy”
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced a major maneuver it will conduct Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, which entails a display of new and qualitative military tactics, including missions mimicking the capture of Israeli soldiers.
Al-Quds Shield maneuver is, according to Al Mayadeen‘s sources, a warning to the Israeli occupation that any violation of Al-Quds will lead to an unprecedented escalation.
Al-Qassam Brigades underlined that the maneuver conveys different messages to many parties, at the forefront of which is the Israeli occupation, and will show Al-Qassam fighters’ mastering of Hebrew during offensive missions.
Hamas official Muhammad Abu Askar said earlier these maneuvers were aimed at sending a message to the Israeli occupation that if it thinks of committing any new foolishness in the Gaza Strip, the Resistance has its finger on the trigger.
Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh stressed Tuesday that Al-Quds is the “center of the conflict with the enemy and the capital of the State of Palestine,” noting that “the enemy’s perpetrations in occupied Al-Quds cannot change history and geography, and the Palestinian people are still ready to offer martyrdom for the sake of Al-Quds and the holy sites.”
Haniyeh contended that “Seif Al-Quds (The Sword of Al-Quds) will not be sheathed except with the liberation of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa – this is our pledge, no matter the price,” continuing to say that “protecting Al-Quds demands us as a people and as factions to stand in one trench united against the occupation.”
Chief of Palestinian resistance Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniya stressed that ‘Israeli’ prisoners in the besieged Gaza Strip will not see the light of day until Palestinian inmates held in ‘Israeli’ jails are released.
Haniya made the remarks in an interview with the international Arab Forum for Solidarity with Detainees in Zionist prisons on Saturday, the movement’s official website reported on Sunday.
He stressed that the issue of the Palestinian prisoners in ‘Israeli’ occupation jails would remain a top priority for Hamas and the movement supports these inmates by strengthening their steadfastness and working hard until they are released.
Haniya also noted that Hamas has managed to free more than a thousand Palestinian detainees from Zionist jails in the Wafaa al-Aharar [“True Promise of Free Men”] prisoner swap deal with the occupying regime in 2011.
Haniya emphasized that Tel Aviv does not make compromises willingly, confirming that “this enemy gives nothing without being forced to do so.”
More than 7,000 Palestinians are reportedly held in ‘Israeli’ jails. Hundreds have been incarcerated under the practice of administrative detention, which allows holding Palestinian inmates without trial or charge. Some Palestinian prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to eleven years.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Haniya paid homage to Operation al-Quds Sword, which marked the latest military faceoff between the Zionist regime and the Gaza-based resistance groups, including Hamas.
He confirmed that this confrontation with the ‘Israeli’ occupation forces was a milestone in the history of Palestine, as it has “put the region on the path towards ending the ‘Israeli’ occupation of Palestine.”
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi (R) welcomes head of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas Ismail Haniyeh during a meeting in Tehran on August 6, 2021. Since they are both in masks, we can safely assume that they both are part of the great conspiracy to replace the White Race with chipped dark-skinned BigPharma clones
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says the Islamic Republic will continue to support Palestine as the main issue of the Muslim world.
“We have never had and will never have any doubt about this policy. In our view, Palestine has been and will be the first issue of the Muslim world,” Raeisi said in a Friday meeting with head of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas Ismail Haniyeh, who took part in the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian president Thursday.
Raeisi commended Haniyeh’s optimistic stance on the liberation of al-Quds and the end of Palestine’s occupation and said “Operation al-Quds Sword” — the Palestinian resistance groups’ 11-day retaliatory rocket and missile launches in response to Israel’s brutal bombing campaign of Gaza in May — showed that a great leap has been made in the fight against the occupiers.
“Today, signs of great victory of the resistant movement have emerged and Operation al-Quds Sword was one of the signs of this victory,” he said.
In Operation Sword al-Quds, he added, the resistance forces tightened the noose on the Zionist enemy in a way that neither the Zionists themselves nor their supporters could even imagine.
Gaza | After years of estrangement due to the crisis in Syria since 2011, and the departure of “Hamas” from Damascus, the two parties are once again preparing to bring their relations back, despite internal criticism at their bases, at a time when the Axis of Resistance is seeking to arrange this return as part of the effort to strengthen the fronts facing the ‘Israeli’ occupation.
This was finally reinforced by the great role played by the Gaza Strip as an unshakeable arena of direct engagement with the enemy, highlighting the position of “Hamas”, especially within the Axis of Resistance, after achieving the great victory of the axis against ‘Israel’, which broke many of the rules of engagement and deterrence that Tel Aviv has tried to cement it for decades.
The resistance’s victory in the Battle of “Al-Quds Sword” opened the door to the return of relations between “Hamas” and the Syrian Republic, after a break of nearly ten years. This breach was demonstrated by the fact that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a tribute to the movement, and the latter responded positively to it, opening up a new page that the Axis of Resistance seeks between the two parties. “Hamas” realizes the importance of the Syrian arena, as it was once a unique base for the development of its military capabilities, whether by delivering weapons to Gaza or establishing programs to develop its military arsenal, in particular missiles and drones, which have made a major leap, as well as being a base for drawing on Arab and Islamic expertise. Against this background, the voices within the movement continue to rise by the need to return to that vast arena, to further develop the capabilities of the resistance, in order to be harsher to the enemy.
With “Hamas” adopting a pragmatic path four years ago after the election of a new leadership headed by Ismail Haniyeh, Yehya Sinwar and Saleh al-Arouri, this leadership worked to re-establish a relationship with the Axis of Resistance, including Syria, with the help of parties in the axis, but the relationship with Damascus continued to have some reservations on both sides. But finally, after the renewal of confidence in the new “Hamas” leadership two months ago in the internal movement elections, and following the victory of the resistance, along with the Syrian initiative that followed, and the “Hamas” response to it, it seemed clear that reservations were breaking down, especially among Syrians. It is true that the parties have mutual reservations, perhaps internal objections to the re-establishment of the relationship, and each has its own reasoning, but the two leaders’ realization of the importance of normalization between them and the extent of their interest in it may be a powerful motivation to bridge the previous gap.
Following the positive “Hamas” response to Al-Assad’s greeting, criticism emerged both within the movement and from some of its supporters, who take a negative stance on the Syrian regime against the backdrop of events in Syria, but “Hamas” has a strong tendency to re-establish relations with Syrians. The military wing of the movement and a large part of the Political Office consider it urgent to do so, on the grounds that the exit from Syria has greatly affected the movement’s interests, narrowed its options, and made it lose a strategic arena where it has been maximizing its military strength.
As soon as the signs of rapprochement finally emerged, the voices of Palestinian and other Arab figures supportive to “Hamas” and hostile to the Syrian regime rejected normalization with the latter, and these are the same voices that have been calling for the continuation of the break with the axis parties for years, based on a sectarian standpoint. On the other hand, the current leadership of the movement believes that a smooth return of relations, quietly and as a first step, would be better for it, followed by the strengthening of confidence between the parties. This leads to the return of the movement’s leaders and members to Damascus, and the closing of the page of what happened previously with some “Hamas” members who were accused by Damascus of participating in the fighting against the Syrian army, on the grounds that this was not the movement’s decision and was done individually.
Al-Akhbar learned from a leading source in “Hamas” that the movement seeks to take advantage of the recent victory to strengthen its relations within the Axis of Resistance, including Syria. The source stressed that “the recent positive signals will soon be translated into practical steps, contacts and talks by the mediators in the axis, in order to bring the previous dispute to an end and to start a new phase.” It also noted that there had been a number of mediators who had worked on the file during the recent period, particularly the Palestinian factions in Syria, as well as a previous initiative by Hezbollah that is still working, stressing that the movement deals positively with all initiatives.
Confirming what Al-Akhbar has finally revealed, the source points out that “Hamas” will consult with Iran and Hezbollah with which meetings will be held shortly to discuss the use of “Al-Quds Sword” output, including the issue of the return of “Hamas”-Syrian relations, which the leadership of the movement currently attaches great importance to; Praising the statements of the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, in which he said that “efforts to bring Hamas back to Syria are well under way, and that the battle in Palestine is saying that we are on the path to return the relations between Hamas and Syria.”
ستتشاور «حماس» مع إيران والحزب الذي ستُعقد لقاءات معه قريباً لتباحث الاستفادة من مخرجات المعركة (أ ف ب )
غزة | بعد سنوات من القطيعة على خلفية الأزمة المندلعة في سوريا منذ 2011، ومغادرة حركة «حماس» دمشق، يستعدّ الطرفان، مرّة أخرى، لعودة العلاقات، رغم الانتقادات الداخلية لدى قواعدهما، في وقت يسعى فيه محور المقاومة إلى ترتيب هذه العودة، كجزء من العمل على تمتين الجبهات المواجِهة للاحتلال الإسرائيلي. وهو عملٌ عزّزه، أخيراً، الدور الكبير الذي لعبه قطاع غزة بوصفه ساحة الاشتباك المباشر التي لا تهدأ مع العدو، مبرِزاً مكانة «حماس»، خصوصاً ضمن محور المقاومة، بعدما حقّقت نصراً كبيراً في رصيد المحور ضدّ إسرائيل، كَسر الكثير من قواعد الاشتباك والردع التي حاولت تل أبيب ترسيخها طوال عقود.
شرّع النصر الذي حقّقته المقاومة في معركة «سيف القدس» الباب لعودة العلاقات بين «حماس» والجمهورية السورية، بعد قطيعة استمرّت قرابة عشر سنوات. تجلّى هذا الخرق في إرسال الرئيس السوري، بشار الأسد، تحية إلى الحركة، وردِّ الأخيرة بإيجابية عليها، ما يفتح صحفة جديدة يسعى إليها محور المقاومة بين الطرفين. وتدرك «حماس» أهمية الساحة السورية بالنسبة إليها، إذ كانت في السابق بمنزلة قاعدة فريدة لتطوير قدراتها العسكرية، سواءً بإيصال السلاح إلى غزة، أو إنشاء برامج لتطوير ترسانتها العسكرية وخاصة الصواريخ والطائرات المُسيّرة التي سجّلت قفزة كبيرة فيها، إضافة إلى كونها قاعدة للاستفادة من الخبرات العربية والإسلامية. وعلى هذه الخلفية، لا تزال الأصوات تعلو داخل الحركة بضرورة العودة إلى تلك الساحة الواسعة، لمتابعة تطوير ما وصلت إليه قدرات المقاومة أكثر، حتى تكون أكثر إيلاماً للعدو.
مع انتهاج «حماس» خطّاً براغماتياً منذ أربع سنوات بعد انتخاب قيادة جديدة برئاسة إسماعيل هنية ويحيى السنوار وصالح العاروري، عملت هذه القيادة على ترميم العلاقة مع محور المقاومة بما فيه سوريا، بمساعدة أطراف في المحور، لكنّ العلاقة مع دمشق بقيت تشوبها بعض التحفّظات لدى الطرفين. لكن أخيراً بعد تجديد الثقة بقيادة «حماس» الجديدة قبل شهرين في انتخابات الحركة الداخلية، وفي أعقاب الانتصار الذي حقّقته المقاومة، والمبادرة السورية التي تلته والتجاوب «الحمساوي» معها، بدا واضحاً أن التحفّظات في طريقها إلى الذوبان، خاصة لدى السوريين. صحيح أن لدى الطرفين تحفّظات متبادلة، وربّما اعتراضات داخلية على إعادة العلاقة، وكلّ له منطقه الذي يحاجج به، غير أن إدراك القيادتَين أهمية التطبيع بينهما وحجم المصلحة فيه، قد يكون دافعاً قوياً إلى ردم الهوّة السابقة.
عقب الردّ «الحمساوي» الإيجابي على تحيّة الأسد، ظهرت انتقادات داخل الحركة ومن بعض أنصارها الذين يتّخذون موقفاً سلبياً من النظام في سوريا على خلفية الأحداث فيها، لكن الكفّة في «حماس» تميل بقوة إلى عودة العلاقات مع السوريين، إذ يرى الجناح العسكري في الحركة، وجزء كبير من المكتب السياسي، ضرورة ملحّة في ذلك، على أساس أن الخروج من سوريا أضرّ بمصالح الحركة كثيراً، وضيّق الخناق عليها، وأفقدها ساحة استراتيجية كانت تعمل فيها على تعظيم قوتها العسكرية.
تسعى «حماس» إلى استثمار الانتصار لتعزيز علاقاتها داخل محور المقاومة
فور بروز مؤشّرات التقارب أخيراً، علت أصوات شخصيات فلسطينية وأخرى عربية مناصرة لـ«حماس» ومعادية للنظام السوري، برفض التطبيع مع الأخير، وهي الأصوات نفسها التي لا تزال منذ سنوات تدعو إلى استمرار القطيعة مع أطراف المحور، من منطلق مذهبي. في المقابل، ترى قيادة الحركة الحالية أن عودة سلسة للعلاقات، من دون ضجيج، كمرحلة أولى، ستكون أفضل لها حالياً، على أن يلي ذلك العمل على تعزيز الثقة بين الطرفين، وصولاً إلى عودة قيادات الحركة وعناصرها إلى دمشق، وإغلاق صفحة ما جرى سابقاً من بعض «الحمساويين» الذين تتّهمهم دمشق بالمشاركة في القتال ضدّ الجيش السوري، على أساس أن ذلك لم يكن قرار الحركة، وقد جرى بصورة فردية. وعلمت «الأخبار» من مصدر قيادي في «حماس» أن الحركة تسعى إلى استثمار الانتصار الذي حقّقته أخيراً لتعزيز علاقاتها داخل محور المقاومة، بما في ذلك سوريا. وأكد المصدر أن «الإشارات الإيجابية الأخيرة ستتمّ ترجمتها قريباً إلى خطوات عملية واتصالات ومباحثات من الوسطاء في المحور، تمهيداً لإنهاء الخلاف السابق والبدء بمرحلة جديدة». كما أشار إلى وجود عدد من الوسطاء الذين تحرّكوا في هذا الملفّ خلال المدة الأخيرة، وخاصة الفصائل الفلسطينية في سوريا إضافة إلى مبادرة سابقة من حزب الله لا تزال مستمرة، مؤكداً أن الحركة تتعامل بإيجابية مع جميع المبادرات.
وتأكيداً لما كشفته «الأخبار» أخيراً، لفت المصدر إلى أن «حماس» ستتشاور مع إيران والحزب الذي سيتمّ عقد لقاءات معه قريباً لتباحث الاستفادة من مخرجات «سيف القدس»، بما فيها قضية عودة العلاقات «الحمساوية» ــ السورية، التي توليها قيادة الحركة حالياً أهمية كبيرة، مشيداً بتصريحات نائب الأمين العام لحزب الله، نعيم قاسم، التي تحدّث فيها عن أن «الجهود المبذولة لعودة حماس إلى سوريا قطعت شوطاً مهماً، وأن المعركة في فلسطين تقول إننا أصبحنا على طريق عودة العلاقات بين حماس وسوريا»
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 
