In reaching out once more to Iran and Hezbollah, Hamas’s dilemma is as much ideological as political — how to balance its Sunni Muslim Brotherhood roots with its vital interests to forge partnerships with fellow enemies of Israel.
Leading a special prayer meeting on Friday for the souls of the “Egyptian martyrs”, the Hamas prime minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, made clear that the war with Israel took precedence.
“We understand that the priority of our resistance is to liberate the land, regain the rights and return the Palestinian people to the land they were forced out of,” said Haniyeh, the movement’s deputy chief.
“We have no military and no security role in Egypt or in the Sinai. Our military and security role is here, on the land of Palestine and against the Zionist enemy.”…
Israeli analyst Yaari thought Iran would exact a price for welcoming Hamas back into the fold. “It will require them to stop opposing Assad and stop any criticism of Hezbollah’s intervention (in Syria) and Iranian support of Assad,” he said.
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