Hamas Seeks Support From Saudis

BBC ^ | 3-11-2006

[blam]

Hamas seeks support from Saudis

Hamas is on a fundraising tour across the Middle East

A delegation of Hamas leaders has arrived in Riyadh in a bid to win Saudi financial and political support for the Palestinian government it is forming. It is Hamas's first official visit since 1998 and the five-strong delegation is led by Khaled Meshaal, one of the group's exiled leaders.

Saudi Arabia has been one of the biggest financial backers of the Palestinian Authority.

It has rejected US calls to isolate Hamas because of its attacks on Israel.

"Hamas appreciates the Saudi position that always supported the Palestinian people," Mohammad Nazzal, another exiled Hamas leader, said before the visit.

"We will seek the continuation of political and financial support from our brothers in Saudi Arabia."

We are not prejudging or putting conditions on them

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal

The delegation was due to meet Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Friday evening and, later, King Abdullah, Hamas official Ezzat El-Resheq told Reuters news agency.

On a recent tour, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attempted, without success, to persuade Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to cut funding for the new Hamas-led Palestinian government.

Prince Faisal said on Monday that his country was attaching no conditions to support for Hamas.

"We hope that as a government, they will represent the interests of the Palestinian people and we are waiting for them to show us what kind of leadership they are going to provide to the Palestinian movement," he said.

"We are not prejudging or putting conditions on them."

The European Union warned again on Friday it would cut funding for a Hamas-led government if it failed to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Perhaps the best strategy would be economic development. The "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" doctrine. With all of the conservative backlash about the Mexican border, I have a proposal. We can sell Hamas the ownership of our border ports. They will NOT run security, that will remain with CBP. Hamas owned enterprise will be seven layers of management above the workers.

Deal?

[Claytonbridge]

I think we should send them a boatload of attorneys from ACLU, evironmentalists. etc They could help them with all the legal stuff as well as set up long term endangered species recovery goals.

[Claytonbridge]

I think we should send them a boatload of attorneys from ACLU, evironmentalists. etc They could help them with all the legal stuff as well as set up long term endangered species recovery goals.

[Lurker]

Prince Faisal said on Monday that his country was attaching no conditions to support for Hamas..or Hizbollah, or Islamic Jihad, or the thousands of Wahabi Madrasas spreading hate all over the world.

L

[drhogan]

i agree. it would be racist to oppose this deal.
as soon as we get karl rove on board, we can move on this!