Ma'ariv: Hamas leader runs the battle 'confidently' and 'persistently'

Israeli author and political analyst Yossi Melman has said that head of Hamas political bureau, Khalid Mesh’al, is running the battle with the Israeli occupation “confidentially” and “persistently” from Qatar.

In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Ma’ariv on Friday, Melman reported that psychiatrists had analysed Mesh’al and said he had a charismatic character. “Mesh’al has a serious character and thus he is a source of fear for the Israelis. He makes Benjamin Netanyahu’s government fear that any deal might reflect that Hamas won against him,” Melman said.

Melman also said that Mesh’al starred after a failed assassination attempt in late 1990s and his position was reinforced after the assassination of top Hamas leader and founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. He became Hamas’ strongman.

He also said that the way Mesh’al is running the current battle shows that he is insisting on achieving his goals. “What would have happened if Israel had not sent the antidote of the poison used for the failed assassination attempt in Amman?” Melman wondered. “Would Hamas have run this battle? Would Hamas be courageous to go into such wars without him and without a confident leadership which is persistent in its decisions?”

The Israeli newspaper noted that Mesh’al was among the ten Hamas leaders listed for assassination when former head of Hamas bureau Musa abu-Marzouq was in an American prison.