Cornered Hamas looks back at Iran, Hezbollah

reuters.com ^ | August 20, 2013 | Nidal al-Mughrabi

[Tailgunner Joe]

Stunned by turmoil in neighboring Egypt and starved of funds, the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is looking to repair damaged ties with its traditional Middle East allies, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah party.

An off-shoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas celebrated when the Sunni movement's Mohamed Mursi was elected president of Egypt in 2012, believing the vote would boost its own international standing and its grip on the isolated Gaza Strip.

In the meantime, outraged by the bloody civil war in Syria, the Palestinian group quit its headquarters in Damascus, snapping the Iran-led "axis of resistance" that challenged Israel and the West across the turbulent region.

Shi'ite Muslim Iran, which had for years supplied Hamas with cash and arms, was infuriated by what it saw as a betrayal of its close friend, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and drastically scaled back its support. Tehran's Shi'ite partner, Hezbollah, also voiced its fierce disapproval.

But following the ousting of Mursi, removed by the Egyptian military on July 3, political sources said Hamas had had direct and indirect contacts with both Iran and Hezbollah -- anxious to revitalize old alliances and restore its battered funding.

"Some meetings have taken place ... to clear the air. There is no boycott (of Hamas) but at the same time, things have not yet got back to normal," said a Palestinian official, with knowledge of discussions, who declined to be named.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, former deputy head of Hamas's political office, saw Hezbollah and Iranian officials in Lebanon last month, with other meetings taking place subsequently.

"It is in the interest of Hamas today to revise its rapport with Iran and Hezbollah for many reasons," said Hani Habib, a political analyst based in the Gaza Strip.

[colorado tanker]

Well, the muzzies lie and switch sides on each other, too.

[The KG9 Kid]

Meanwhile, Hezbollah is blaming Sunni-aligned Syrian rebels for multiple car bombings of various Hezbollah HQ buildings in Lebanon in retaliation for their support of the Assad regime in the Syrian civil war.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Tailgunner Joe.

Turkish PM Erdogan: Hamas is ‘not an arm of Iran’
Jerusalem Post
Posted on 02/01/2009 5:33:52 AM PST by Yehuda123
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2176147/posts

‘Turkey has embraced Iran, Hamas’
jpost | 06/04/2010 23:36 | By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER AND JPOST.COM STAFF
Posted on 06/04/2010 7:55:15 PM PDT by Flavius
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2528221/posts