PALESTINE: After 45-year exile, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal arrives in Gaza

In his first-ever visit to the Strip, Meshal kissed the ground after entering through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. He was welcomed by Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh and representatives of Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah.

 

By Reuters, The Associated Press, Haaretz and DPA | Dec.07, 2012 | 1:50 PM

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal arrived in the Gaza Strip on Friday, witnesses said, ending 45 years of exile from the Palestinian Territories with a visit that underscored the Islamist group's growing confidence.

Meshal kissed the ground after entering Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Meshal told the gathered crowds he hoped his next visit would be to Jerusalem, Ramallah and all of Palestine, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.

He was welcomed by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and leaders of other Palestinian militant groups. Representatives of the rival Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who governs the West Bank, were also present.

The 56-year-old leader will spend barely 48 hours in the coastal enclave and attend a mass rally on Saturday that has been billed as both a commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Hamas and a "victory" celebration after its recent war with Israel.

Meshal previously had been prevented from crossing into Gaza by longtime Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. But Mubarak was ousted in February 2011, and the Muslim Brotherhood, which has close ties to Hamas, has risen to power.

Meshal has led Hamas since 1996, helping to build the Iranian-backed movement into a potent force. Under his leadership, Hamas carried out numerous suicide bombings and other attacks on buses, cafe's and other public places that killed hundreds of Israelis during a Palestinian uprising a decade ago. The group has been branded a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union.

He also survived an Israeli assassination attack in Jordan in 1997. Until recently, he was based in Syria but after civil war broke out there, he relocated to Qatar. 

Hamas overtook Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in 2007. It has yet to reconcile with Fatah, which rules the West Bank.

The announcement of Meshal's Gaza visit followed the United Nations vote last week to accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem as a non-member observer state.

Israel and Hamas are observing a truce that ended eight days of cross-border fighting in November, which was brokered by Egypt. Two members of Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad said Thursday that Egypt had relayed warnings that Israel would consider the Gaza truce over if the group's leaders enter Gaza. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the issue with the media. Israel's Defense Ministry had no immediate comment.