Hamas normalizes ties with Syria under Iranian mediation
Hamas officially announced the resumption of relations with the Syrian government after a decadelong hiatus caused by the 2011 Syrian uprising, raising questions about the gains Hamas might achieve and why Iran sought to mediate the reconciliation.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In a statement Sept. 15, Hamas officially announced the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Syrian government after a decadelong hiatus caused by the Islamist movement's support for the 2011 Syrian revolution.
In its statement, Hamas stressed ongoing efforts “to build and develop solid relations with the Syrian Arab Republic, within the framework of its decision to resume diplomatic relations with our brothers in Syria.”
“Syria has embraced our Palestinian people and the resistance factions for decades, which requires us to stand with it today in light of the brutal aggression it is facing,” the statement continued, in reference to the recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria.
By the end of 2011, Hamas left its offices in Damascus, after condemning the Syrian government’s violent crackdown on the popular uprising that had broken out earlier that year. At the time, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accused the movement of supporting Syrian armed groups fighting his government.
