海角大神

With Hamas's confidence waxing, Khaled Meshaal arrives in Gaza

The Hamas leader's return to Palestinian territory, his first visit since 1967, coincides with the party's increased sway after an eight-day conflict with Israel and UN recognition of Palestine.

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Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is walking on Palestinian territory for the first time in 45 years. He's in town to celebrate his party鈥檚 25th anniversary and the end of a week-long conflagration with Israel last month.

But his visit could also signal growing confidence within the Islamist party 鈥� which Israel, the United States, and the European Union consider a terrorist organization 鈥� over its position in the tumultuous Middle East.

Mr. Meshaal, who left the West Bank as a boy in 1967 and had not visited Gaza before today, has led Hamas for over 15 years, primarily from the party's offices in Damascus, Syria.聽 But he was in Egypt late last month for negotiations of the cease-fire that ended the eight-day conflict with Israel. Some were killed in the violence, the Telegraph reports, the worst fighting in four years. 聽The New York Times reports that Hamas' negotiation of 鈥渁 cease-fire with Israel through the agency of the Egyptians 鈥� may and representative of at least a portion of the Palestinian people.鈥�

Meshaal has since spoken of the possibility of reaching out to other political factions within the Palestinian territory, including the Fatah party, which was pushed out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007. Al Jazeera reports Hamas to a celebration rally in Gaza tomorrow, part of Meshaal鈥檚 whirlwind trip.

"There is a new mood that allows us to achieve聽reconciliation," Meshaal told Al Jazeera.

According to the Times, 鈥淭he Fatah movement controls the West Bank, which Israel still occupies, and the rivalry between the two groups is the defining principle of Palestinian politics, despite continuing efforts by Egypt to bring about a reconciliation.鈥�

The most recent violence between Israel and Palestine started on Nov. 14 with an exchange of rockets and airstrikes. Since then, the Palestinian Authority gained United Nation鈥檚 recognition as a non-member observer state (something that for, reports the BBC), and Israel announced the expansion of settlement construction on the West Bank.

Israel says its airstrikes did substantial damage to Hamas in November, killing Ahmed al-Jaabari, its military chief, and diminishing its supply of weapons, reports the Telegraph. But according to The Associated Press, Hamas leaders declared victory in Gaza after the truce was brokered in November.聽 鈥淲hile Israel said it inflicted heavy damage on the militants, Gaza's Hamas rulers claimed that Israel's decision not to send ground troops into the territory, as it had four years ago, was a sign of a new Hamas deterrent power.鈥�

A spokesman for Israel鈥檚 foreign ministry told Bloomberg today that 鈥渋t doesn鈥檛 matter who they are, Hamas .鈥�

But the November Israeli-Palestinian face-off highlighted a change in the regional attitude toward Hamas, one that 海角大神鈥檚 Egypt correspondent writes may be attributed to the aftermath of last year鈥檚 Arab uprisings. Political parties such as Hamas now have more support from Arab leaders, and the role Egypt鈥檚 Mohamed Morsi, the Turkish prime minister, Qatari emir, and Hamas鈥� exiled Meshaal played in brokering the cease-fire last month is one example of this.

鈥�[I]n the post-鈥淎rab spring鈥� Middle East, the region looks much different, and Hamas has found a new swell of support as it faces Israel. Mr. Mubarak, ousted in a popular uprising in 2011, has been replaced by an elected president from the Muslim Brotherhood. Instead of a mostly sealed Gaza-Egypt border, it has become difficult to keep track of all the solidarity trips made to Gaza by Arab officials. ...

The uprisings that displaced pro-Western autocrats who toed the US line on Israel have brought to power Islamist governments more friendly to Hamas, as well as more sensitive to public opinion typically supportive of the Palestinian cause. This has reshaped the regional dynamics, leaving Israel increasingly isolated. These new governments, along with Turkey and Qatar, have formed a vocal block of opposition to Israel's assault on Gaza.

鈥淭his is a significant change in the Arab reaction,鈥� says Khalil Al Anani, a scholar at Durham University in Britain. The new Arab nations ready to take a stronger stance against Israel could change Israel鈥檚 calculations in favor of more restraint.

鈥淚t shows that Gaza is not alone. This will put pressure on Israel, and they [Arab states] can move further if they want, by lobbying internationally and putting a spotlight on Israel and its lack of interest in peace," he says.聽

鈥淭he visit of Mashaal to Gaza is one of the fruits of the victory Hamas has achieved during the eight-day war on Gaza,鈥� Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said, according to Bloomberg. 鈥淕aza is freed now and will receive whoever visitors it wants.鈥�

Hamas was founded Dec. 14, 1987, after the first Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. 聽This weekend鈥檚 celebrations were moved up to coincide with the first intifada, or uprising, against Israel, reports the Times.

According to the BBC, 鈥淯nder its charter, Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel. But the group has also offered a 10-year truce in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from territories it occupied in 1967.鈥�

Meshaal, who reportedly kissed the ground upon entering Gaza from Egypt, is expected to speak at tomorrow鈥檚 rally. He also plans to visit the homes of fallen Hamas members including Mr. Jabari and Hamas鈥� spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin.