Hamas resumes Syria ties in Damascus visit

DAMASCUS: Palestinian movement Hamas on Wednesday said it restored relations with the Syrian government after a visiting delegation held a “historic meeting” with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.

The Islamist group, which controls the Gaza Strip, was long one of Syria´s closest allies, in large part due to a shared enmity towards Israel. But it left Syria in 2012 after condemning the Assad government´s brutal suppression of protests in March 2011, which triggered the country´s descent into civil war.

“This is a glorious and important day, in which we come back to our dear Syria to resume joint work,” Hamas chief of Arab relations Khalil al-Hayya told reporters in Damascus. “This is a new start for joint Palestinian-Syrian action,” he said after meeting Assad along with other representatives of Palestinian factions.

Hamas and Assad have agreed to “move on from the past and look to the future,” al-Hayya added. By restoring ties with Damascus, Hamas cements its role within the “axis of resistance” against its arch-enemy Israel, analysts said, an Iran dominated alliance that extends to Lebanon´s Hezbollah movement and Yemen´s Huthi rebels.

Wednesday´s meeting with Assad “is in line with the broader rapprochement between Hizbullah and Hamas evident in Lebanon over the past year or more,” said Maha Yahya of the Carnegie Middle East Centre.

The moves come amid fundamental shifts in Middle East relationships, including the Islamist group´s long-time ally Turkey restoring full diplomatic ties with Israel in August. Charles Lister, Director of the Syria Programme at the Middle East Institute, said rapprochement is the “only logical move” Hamas could take.

“Given the prevailing regional trend of Arab engagement with Israel, it´s not surprising to see Hamas´ leadership in Gaza seeking to re-enhance and amplify their role within the Axis of Resistance,” he told AFP.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco have all normalised ties with Israel in the last couple of years. Aron Lund, a fellow with the Century International think-tank, said the thaw has “been propelled by the hostile regional attitude to Hamas and by Israel´s normalization with several Arab states.” “Hamas simply doesn´t have the luxury of being able to ignore or oppose the Syrian government indefinitely,” Lund said.