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Official: Hamas relations with Saudi Arabia ‘estranged’

January 17, 2020 at 1:54 pm

Member of Hamas’ political bureau Khalil Al-Hayya in Gaza, 30 August 2018 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

A member of Hamas’ political bureau Khalil Al-Hayya said Thursday that relations with Saudi Arabia are “estranged,” denying enmity with Riyadh.

“Perhaps [there] is a rupture of relations that the brothers of Saudi Arabia have imposed,” Al-Hayya said in an interview published by the movement’s official website.

“These are our people, our pride… and we ask them to support our people and their steadfastness and stand by our side,” he said in reference to the Saudi rulers, stressing that his movement is interested in maintaining relations with Saudi Arabia based on embracing the Palestinian cause, and not on boycotting any other country, in reference to Iran.

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Al-Hayya said Hamas’ political relations with the countries “are based on balance and openness, to mobilise support for the Palestinian cause.”

“Hamas has been keen since its inception to establish political relations with all countries that allow it and in the form they desire, and the movement enjoys distinguished relations with many countries formally and popularly,” he said.

Al-Hayya denied that Hamas competes with the PLO over representation as accused by the Palestinian Authority and the Fatah movement’s media.