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Sudan Tribune

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Sudanese president meets with Hamas leaders

December 29, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir met on Thursday with a visiting delegation from the Palestinian Hamas movement that currently controls the Gaza strip.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (L) and Hamas' Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh (R) meet with Sudan's President Omer Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum December 29, 2011 (Reuters)
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (L) and Hamas’ Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh (R) meet with Sudan’s President Omer Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum December 29, 2011 (Reuters)
The delegation included Gaza’s Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas co-founders Mahmood al-Zahar and Mousa abu-Marzook as well as politburo Chief Khalid Meshaal.

According to Sudan official news agency (SUNA), Bashir discussed with Hamas the developments in the Palestinian territories particularly with regards to reconciliation and reforming the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).

Meshaal expressed the gratitude and appreciation of Palestinian people to the support extended by the government and people of Sudan to their cause and the issue of Jerusalem in particular.

He added that they were briefed by Bashir on the developments in Sudan and noted that links between Palestine and Sudan are “strong”.

Meshaal said that Jerusalem is targeted by the “Israeli enemy” through displacement, Judaization and excavations

Haniyeh said they acquainted Bashir on the developments of events in Gaza, noting that Sudan offered a lot to ease the siege on the Gaza Strip.

He said that what is required is material and moral support from the Arab and Islamic world to aid the resistance of Palestinians in Jerusalem and the political position that supports Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.

The visit to Sudan was part of Haniyeh’s first official regional tour since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007.

Last week, PLO chief Mahmood Abbas met with Hamas leaders in Cairo and it was agreed that a committee be formed to prepare for the inclusion of Hamas, as well as the smaller militant group Islamic Jihad, in the PLO.

The committee will now prepare for an internal election of the PLO parliament in order to facilitate Hamas and the Islamic Jihad membership.

Hamas is under intense political pressure particularly after Syria, it s main backer, fell into disarray with bloody unrest that have been ongoing since earlier this year.

Many Hamas officials and their families who were based in Damascus for decades have left for Gaza and Egypt as the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad appeared to be on uncertain footing.

Some reports have suggested that Hamas is considering locating its headquarters from Damascus to Khartoum.

(ST)

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