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Hamas Faces Serious Rift

(Times of Israel) Ehud Yaari - A bitter public controversy has erupted between Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal versus his own deputy head of the Political Bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk, and the top leaders in Gaza. In the wake of the uprising in Syria, the "external leadership" of Hamas abandoned their secure base in Damascus without being able to obtain an alternative safe haven. Mashaal is no longer in sole control of the movement's purse strings since contributions from Tehran were reduced. He no longer enjoys the recognition of Syria, Iran and Hizbullah of his supremacy within Hamas. On Feb. 6 in Doha, Mashaal signed an agreement with the PA's Mahmoud Abbas to form a temporary unity government. A chorus of protests by the Gaza leaders immediately erupted, accusing Mashaal of deviating from the adopted policies. Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza, embarked on a tour of several Arab countries avoiding any hint of support for the Doha Agreement. Then he ignored warnings by the Gulf states and the Muslim Brotherhood and paid a widely publicized visit to Iran, kissing and hugging Supreme Leader Khamenei, and asking for direct financial assistance to Gaza. So now, the ever-negotiated reconciliation process between Hamas and Fatah is again bogged down. The majority of Hamas leaders demand "amendments" to the Doha agreement.
2012-02-28 00:00:00
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