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Hamas in Saudi Arabia
for three days of talks
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, March 10, 2006
ABU DHABI — A Hamas delegation was scheduled to arrive in Riyad on Friday for a
visit expected to last three days. Hamas said the delegation, led by Khaled
Masha'al, would seek economic and political support from the kingdom.
"We should have held this meeting a while ago," Hamas politburo member
Mohammed Nazal told the London-based daily Al Hayat on Friday. "But our
Saudi brothers were busy and the visit was put off until today."
Another Hamas leader, Mussa Abu Marzouk, said the delegation would be
received by Saudi King Abdullah and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal, Middle East Newsline reported.
Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas's politburo, said other members of the
delegation were Masha'al, Imad Alami, Izzat Rishk and Sayyid Siyam. Siyam
was said to have been the only resident of the Palestinian Authority in the
delegation.
In February, Saudi Arabia dismissed a U.S. appeal to block funding to
any Hamas-led Palestinian government. Riyad has been the leading Arab
sponsor of the Islamic movement, which won in Palestinian Legislative
Council elections on Jan. 25.
"Saudi Arabia has always been with [the Palestinians] in difficult
political and economic times and will not give up this role," Hamas leader
Ismail Haniyeh said. "We will put our brothers in the picture regarding
political developments on the ground, and the difficulties suffered by the
Palestinian people, and ask them to continue their positions."
Hamas was expected to seek PLC approval for a new Palestinian Cabinet
over the next few days. On Thursday, the Fatah movement headed by PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas reiterated its refusal to join a Hamas-led
government.
Over the last month, Hamas has sent delegations to a range of Arab and
Islamic states. They include Iran, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey, and Hamas said
it would launch another tour of Asian and Arab states in the coming weeks.
Copyright © 2006 East West
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