Al-Assad meeting marks 'glorious day', Hamas to return to Syria

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The meeting between Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and the Hamas delegation to Syria saw the former pledging support from Syria to the Palestinian people and resistance, Hamas deputy political leader Khalil Al-Hayya said on Wednesday from the Syrian capital, Damascus.

نائب قائد #حركة_حماس في #غزة خليل الحية من #دمشق بعد لقائه الرئيس السوري: لقاؤنا مع الأسد هو يوم مجيد ومنه نستأنف حضورنا في #سوريا والعمل معها دعماً لشعبنا ولاستقرار سوريا.#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/iszlXLKotP

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 19, 2022

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported Wednesday that the meeting between Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and the Palestinian factions delegation, including Hamas, kicked off.

Earlier, Hamas confirmed that a delegation from the movement's leadership would arrive in Damascus on Wednesday for an official visit for the first time since 2012.

Speaking from Damascus following his meeting with Al-Assad as part of the meeting between the Syrian President and the various Palestinian factions, Al-Hayya said the spirit of resistance was resurrected within the Arab World. "From here, we tell the occupation that our meeting is in response to its schemes."

"Our meeting with Al-Assad marked a glorious day today, and through it, we will resume our presence in Syria and working with Damascus in support of our people and Syria's stability," Al-Hayya said. "We agreed with President Al-Assad to turn the page from the past."

"We declared to President Al-Assad that we support Syria, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity and that we are against any aggression targeting Syrian soil," the Hamas deputy leader added. 

"Hamas is resuming its relationship with our dear Syria. And this is a unanimous decision taken by Hamas's leadership. It was taken with the conviction that this is the right path and that we need to move on from the past," Al-Hayya explained.

نائب قائد #حركة_حماس في #غزة خليل الحية من #دمشق بعد لقائه الرئيس السوري: نستعيد علاقتنا مع #سوريا العزيزة بإجماع قيادتنا وبقناعة بصوابية هذا المسار وتجاوز الماضي.#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/1W396YbeMM

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 19, 2022

"We will follow up with our Syrian brothers on the measures to be taken regarding Hamas' stay in Syria," he told Al Mayadeen's correspondent. "We informed the countries that we have ties of the decision to resume ties with Syria, and this was a decision taken solely by Hamas."

نائب قائد #حركة_حماس في #غزة خليل الحية من #دمشق بعد لقائه الرئيس السوري لمراسل #الميادين: سنتابع مع الإخوة السوريين ترتيبات بقاء حماس في #سوريا.#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/n5jrcXqmQU

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) October 19, 2022

"The relations with Syria will give strength to the Axis of Resistance and to all the believers in the resistance," Al-Hayya stressed. "Hamas did not hear any opposition from any state that was informed of its decision to reconcile with Syria, including Turkey and Qatar."

"We have moved on from the past and its mistakes, as well as the individual mistakes that were not approved by Hamas," the Palestinian official underlined. "The movement took the decision to reconcile with Damascus [...] we wish for nothing but peace and stability... The strength of the Arab World stems from Syria's strength."

The Palestinian forces and factions affirmed on Wednesday after meeting with Al-Assad in Damascus that resistance was the only way to restore rights.

In a statement following the meeting, the factions affirmed that Al-Assad stressed that the unity of the Palestinian ranks is the guarantee for restoring the rights of the Palestinian people.

In the same context, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command, Talal Naji, expressed the Front's happiness with the restoration of relations between Syria and Hamas.

The visit comes after non-public negotiations between Hamas and the Syrian leadership, mediated by Lebanese Hezbollah, which discussed the disagreements that led the movement to leave Damascus in 2012.

On September 15, Hamas announced in a statement that it would restore its relations with Syria, which "has been supporting the Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance factions for decades."

The movement considered that the decision is in the service of the Arab nation, "above all the Palestinian cause, especially in light of the escalating regional and international developments concerning the Palestinian cause."

During an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen TV on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Lebanese Islamic Resistance movement Hezbollah, Sayyed Nasrallah touched on the reconciliation between Hamas and Syria, saying the Hamas leadership "arrived at a conclusion that they cannot turn their backs on Syria, for it is an integral part of the Axis of Resistance."

He also expressed his personal interest in getting the relations between Syria and Hamas back on track, as it became clear to everyone where the struggle was heading to.

Similarly, in a speech on the occasion of the Arbaeen, the event commemorating the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, Sayyed Nasrallah underlined that "the recent statement of the Hamas leadership regarding rearranging and strengthening relations with Syria is a very advanced position, and we respect this decision," stressing that "Syria, through its leadership and people, will remain the true backbone of the Palestinian people, and it bears sacrifices for it." 

The Hezbollah chief further praised Hamas' statement for its sound position, noting its correctness and importance given that all resistance forces must unite and take root in the same axis.