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Jan

11

Hamas leadership split: Gaza-based wants cease fire, but not leader in Damascus


I read about this several hours ago on Israeli blogger Jameel’s site (see his fantastic live-blogging w/photos and video and many other sources here) but at that time, it was only the Israeli news anchor/reporter who was saying it.

Now, here’s an article from the Washington Times to which I can link and excerpt:

The Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip is ready to accept a cease-fire with Israel, but the organization’s spiritual leader in Damascus, Khalid Mashaal, refuses to make the necessary concessions, according to Israeli television reports last night.

The Arab affairs analyst on Channel Two, Ehud Ya’ari, said the dispute amounts to a split between the two Hamas centers of power.

The differences emerged at a meeting over the weekend in Cairo between two Hamas representatives from Gaza and a delegation sent by Mr. Mashaal in Damascus.

…

“The Gazans not only accepted it,” said Mr. Ya’ari, “they demanded it.” The delegation from Damascus, however, reiterated Mr. Mashaal’s rejection of the conditions set down in the Egyptian plan.

The Gazans traveled from Cairo to Damascus immediately after the meeting that ended early Monday to present their case to Mr. Mashaal and were to return to Cairo on Tuesday, according to the reports.

Here’s a Los Angeles Times analysis of Hamas’ options.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:56 pm January 11th, 2009 in Gaza, Israel 

Comments

One Response to “Hamas leadership split: Gaza-based wants cease fire, but not leader in Damascus”

  1. 1 Liza R on January 12th, 2009 3:09 am

    I’ve always considered the Hamas leadership in Damascus to be more extreme than the leadership in Gaza, and Mashaal’s current stance just confirms that. I find it so disturbing, so incomprehensible that they are so willing the sacrifice the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians.

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