(Jordan Times) Taylor Luck - Jordan's King Abdullah will receive Hamas chief Khaled Mishaal next week in the first official visit by the Hamas leader in over a decade. According to a senior Hamas official, Mishaal is expected to request permission for a "permanent presence" in Jordan. Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Rakan Majali stressed that the reopening of Hamas' political office is "not on the current agenda." Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh has previously indicated that the government would consider allowing the relocation of Hamas leaders and their families to the kingdom provided that they forego any "political activity" on Jordanian soil. Hamas second-in-command Mousa Abu Marzouq has criticized this proposal, stressing that political activity is a core part of the movement's mission to "protect the rights of Palestinians."
2012-01-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive