Hamas Runs a Regional PR Campaign
Kifah Ziboun Asharq Al Awsat 16 October 2017
https://english.aawsat.com/kifah-ziboun/news-middle-east/hamas-runs-regional-pr-campaign

Ramallah- Gaza ruling party Hamas is steadily on the track of restoring its
ties with former allies while maintaining current friends. The move by no
means is risk-free, as conflict pits parties Hamas views as valuable against
each other.

It is no secret that the Islamist movement, which lost allies and won
others, is planning broader and better relations with Egypt. It looks
forward to opening up as much as possible to Gulf states, including Saudi
Arabia and the UAE. But it also strives to do the same with Qatar and
Turkey, and to restore ties with Iran and Hezbollah, and perhaps the Syrian
regime at a later date.

Officially, Hamas says it wants to maintain advanced relations with all
Arabs in the region, as well as other countries, so long that it serves the
best interest of the Palestinian cause.

Many Hamas officials, including Hamas Leader Khaled Meshaal, confirmed that
this goes beyond playing along politics axes.

Hamas-affiliated writer and political analyst Ibrahim Madhoun said the
movement will partially succeed in its endeavors.

“There are countries and people who understand the positions of the movement
and there are other countries that are conservative, but this will not push
Hamas to take a hostile stance or to back down,” said Madhoun.

“The movement will try to knock on these doors, and open areas with everyone
in one way or another, especially central countries such as Saudi Arabia,
Turkey, Iran and Egypt, as they stand to be the real supporter of the
Palestinian cause,” he added.

According to Madhoun, “Hamas’ response to Egyptian efforts was not at the
expense of Turkey or Qatar or of any other party, and neither will contact
with Tehran be at the expense of Riyadh or the Gulf.”

“I believe that talking to Russia does not mean antagonizing the United
States, although the latter takes a negative attitude. There are efforts by
Hamas to infiltrate the American wall itself.”

Contacts made by the head of Hamas’ political bureau in the last two days,
made it clear that Hamas actually tried to communicate with all sides openly
as if it were sending out a message in every direction in this regard.