|
Trending Topics
|
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/saudi-campaign-hamas-190922221256740.html
The Saudi Campaign Against Hamas
(Al Jazeera) Dr. Adnan Abu Amer - Since April, dozens of Palestinians, Jordanians and Saudis have been arrested in Saudi Arabia and accused of belonging to and supporting Hamas by collecting donations for the group. Some have been deported, while many have had their assets frozen and their financial transfers monitored. Strict controls on remittances to the Palestinian territories have been imposed. In 2017, Hamas started to reach out again to Iran. This was underscored in an official visit by a Hamas delegation to Iran in July 2019. In May, the Saudi newspaper Mecca published a list of 40 Islamic figures who it characterized as terrorists influenced by Muslim Brotherhood ideas. Among them were Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, former leader Khaled Meshaal, current leader Ismail Haniya, and its military commanders Mohammad al-Deif and Yahya al-Sinwar. The writer is head of the political science department at the University of the Ummah in Gaza.