Haniyeh meets Malaysian Defence Minister

The Head of the Political Bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Ismail Haniyeh, met Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in the movement’s office in Doha today. The two men discussed developments in the Palestinian issue as well as bilateral relations.

Haniyeh hailed Sabu’s support for the Palestinian cause, and the speech made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the UN General Assembly last year. The Hamas leader also praised the efforts made by the people of Malaysia to alleviate the 13-year siege imposed by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip.

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Since leaving Gaza via Egypt for an international tour on 14 December, Haniyeh has met with several heads of state who support the Palestinian resistance to Israel’s occupation of Palestine, including the Presidents of Qatar, Turkey and Iran. He also had meetings with senior Arab and Muslim officials during the Kuala Lumpur Summit last month.

Hamas has not announced when its leader will return to Gaza, but Ismail Haniyeh’s tour is expected to last for a few more months, as he is scheduled to have meetings with senior officials of the movement based overseas in preparation for the upcoming internal elections.