Iran, Hezbollah lead mediation to restore Hamas-Damascus ties
Mediation efforts led by Iran and Hezbollah to restore ties between Hamas and the Syrian regime seem to be making progress amid rising tensions with their mutual rivals in the region.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Media chatter about the restoration of relations between the Syrian regime and the Palestinian Hamas movement has grown louder following the statements of Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah about a positive atmosphere surrounding efforts to restore relations between Hamas and the Syrian regime.
In a long interview with Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV on Dec. 27, Nasrallah said, “This relationship must be restored, but it will take some time.”
He added that his meetings near Beirut over the past few months with the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, tackled strategic issues including the restoration of ties with Damascus, the hostility against Iran and the Arab normalization deals with Israel.
Relations between Hamas and the Syrian regime deteriorated following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution at the end of 2011. Hamas took an impartial stance in the conflict, as it felt that its presence in Syria would come at a political price. Consequently, Hamas left the Syrian territories in early 2012.
