Hamas-Hezbollah Ties Deteriorate Over Syria
The second segment of a three-part series on Hamas reveals a sharp deterioration in its ties with a former close ally, Hezbollah.
Speaking about their relations with Iran, leading members of Hamas affirmed to Al-Monitor that Iranian support is no longer what it used to be. Hamas’ stance regarding the Syrian crisis, in addition to it denouncing the practices of the regime against its own people, has affected its relationship with Iran. Moreover, they said that the relationship with Hezbollah has broken off.
Ahmad Youssef, a member of the Shura Council and a leading figure of Hamas, said that he advised Hezbollah earlier not to engage in the Syrian crisis. When it did get involved, ties were cut between the two.
“Future ties with Iran and Hezbollah will not go back to normal. Both have taken part in the massacres against the Syrian people, despite the fact that we have advised them otherwise since the crisis began.” Youssef told Al-Monitor.
From his office in the Bayt al-Hikma Institute, Youssef said, “What happened in Syria and the engagement of Hezbollah in the crisis is indeed a weighty loss for the party and its reputation in the region as a movement of resistance. Therefore, future relations [between Hamas and Hezbollah] will be delicate. Hamas had advised Hezbollah during previous meetings not to get involved.”
