High-ranking Hamas delegation visits Saudi Arabia
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A group of high-ranking officials from the Palestinian Hamas Resistance organization has flown to Saudi Arabia in an effort to rekindle relations between the two countries.
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The head of Hamas' Politcal Bureau Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, June 2nd, 2014 (Reuters)
According to Palestinian media, a delegation that includes Hamas politburo chairman Ismail Haniyeh, the group's foreign affairs chief Khaled Mashal, and officials Mousa Abu Marzook and Khalil al-Hayya, landed in the Saudi city of Jeddah late Monday.
According to reports, the team will conduct the Umrah trip in the final days of Ramadan, the holy Muslim fasting month.
Following the Resistance group's victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, relations between Riyadh and Hamas worsened in 2007.
Saudi Arabia detained scores of Hamas members in 2019 on the grounds that they posed a danger to the kingdom's leadership.
Read more: Riyadh, Tehran plan to reopen diplomatic missions by May 9: Diplomat
In recent months, Hamas officials have expressed a desire to repair relations with Saudi Arabia. As a result, the monarchy has freed a large number of Hamas captives, including senior member Mohammad Al-Khudari.
In a statement issued back in February following the release of Hamas captives, the movement stated, “We affirm our keenness on positive relations with our brothers in Saudi Arabia and all brotherly countries in the service of the Palestinian cause and our Arab and Islamic nation."
The Hamas delegation's visit to Saudi Arabia comes more than a month after Tehran and Riyadh agreed to a reconciliation accord negotiated by China in order to reestablish diplomatic relations.
Along with Hamas leaders, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also visiting Saudi Arabia on an official invitation from Riyadh.
He is scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday to discuss the current developments in the Palestinian cause and the regional situation, as well as the improvement of Palestinian-Saudi relations, according to Wafa news agency.
