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Hamas’ Changing Role in Egypt

Hamas has seen improved ties with Cairo following the January 25 revolution and the election of Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mohammed Morsi, writes Adnan Abu Amer.
Hamas militants hold a poster depicting Mohamed Morsy of the Muslim Brotherhood as they celebrate in the street in Gaza City after he was declared Egypt's first democratic president June 24, 2012. Morsy's win was hailed by Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza and which is locked in a power-struggle with the West Bank-based, U.S.-backed Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY MILITARY) - RTR343IV
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It is no secret that after the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas was among those most pleased with Mohammed Morsi's 2012 victory in the Egyptian presidential elections. Morsi's selection followed fast on the heels of the movement's initial joy at parliamentary election results, which in turn were grounded in what it considers to be Muslim ethics. Hence, Hamas' greatest regional source of strength came to reside in Cairo. Hamas experienced something of a honeymoon following the ouster of the regime of Hosni Mubarak, which had been persistently hostile toward it.

In Egypt, Hamas believed that it had found suitable compensation (and more) for its loss of Syrian patronage when its leaders adopted a supportive position toward the popular revolution directed against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Indeed, its base in Damascus for the previous ten years had been predicated on a mutual interest -- joint hostility toward Israel -- and flew in the face of fundamental disagreement on religious ideology. Hamas' gradual shift toward other Arab capitals, including Cairo, contained elements of narrow self-interest as well as ideological and religious compatibility. This was particularly the case with Egypt, given that the Hamas government in Gaza considers itself the “legitimate offspring” of the Muslim Brotherhood.

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