A Palestinian source said Masha'al has sought to relocate to Jordan. The
source said Masha'al's fate marked a key issue in negotiations between a
Hamas delegation and Jordanian intelligence in August 2008.
Hamas and the Sudanese government have denied the Al Rai report,
published on the eve of the visit to Syria by French President Nicolas
Sarkozy. Hamas sources said Masha'al visited Sudan in early August, but has
since returned to Damascus.
"The movement totally denies media reports saying that Khaled Masha'al
has left Syria for Sudan," Hamas said. "These reports are false."
In 2008, Israel conducted several rounds of talks with Syria in Turkey.
The last round, scheduled for Sept. 1, was canceled amid the resignation of
a key aide of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
An Israeli source said Masha'al has not been in Damascus for several
weeks. The source said it was not clear whether the Hamas leader would
return after Sarkozy's visit.
Israel has demanded that Syria expel Palestinian insurgency groups as
well as Hizbullah from Damascus. Hamas and Islamic Jihad maintain their
headquarters in Damascus.
Al Rai reported that the assassination of Syrian Gen. Mohammed Suleiman
might have prompted the decision to expel Masha'al. Suleiman, killed in the
Syrian city of Tartous in August 2008, was said to have been the leading
military adviser of President Bashar Assad.
