Exiled Hamas leader visits Gaza for first time Friday
RAFAH, Gaza Strip – Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal set foot in the Gaza Strip for the first time Friday, emerging from the Egyptian border with his hand over his heart and telling jubilant supporters that his visit marked a new era in the pursuit of Palestinian independence.
Though Meshaal has led the Islamist militant group since 2004, traveling to its Gaza-based home was unthinkable just a month ago because of fears that Israel might assassinate him as it did his two predecessors.
But the Nov. 21 cease-fire agreement that ended an eight-day clash with Israel emboldened Meshaal to make a victory lap through the seaside territory, culminating today with an outdoor celebration to mark the group’s 25th anniversary.
“I say I’m returning to Gaza even though I have never been before because it’s always been in my heart,” he told the crowd, fighting back tears.
The visit underscores Hamas’ rising political clout. But it also has many wondering how the militant group will use its newfound prominence, and what role Meshaal will play.
Meshaal, a West Bank native who spent most of his life as a refugee or in exile, was expected to step down as head of the political bureau in the coming months, after secret Hamas elections to select a new leader.
Meshaal leads a more moderate, pragmatic Hamas faction against a rival group of Gaza-based hard-liners. He has insisted he no longer wants the job.
Yet, on the heels of the recent clash with Israel, some predict Meshaal, 56, will want to remain at the helm at such a crucial time.
Some in Hamas’ leadership are lobbying for him to stay.
“He’s unique, with a good political mind and support from all the factions,” said Hamas Deputy Foreign Minister Ghazi Hamad. “I wish he’d continue.”
The next Hamas leader will play a significant role in determining the intensity of the conflict with Israel as well as the possible reconciliation with Fatah, Hamas’ rival Palestinian party in the West Bank.
Meshaal, who recently relocated from the chaos in Syria to the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, is a leading proponent of ending the division with the secular Fatah, and says he would accept a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, which some view as de facto recognition of Israel.
And though he refuses to give up armed resistance, he supports signing a long-term cease-fire agreement. At one point during his visit Friday, members of the crowd passed him a rifle, expecting him to hold it over his head in a sign of military triumph. He shook his head and brushed it aside.
Meshaal is facing a challenge from hard-liners, such as Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and senior official Mahmoud Zahar, who say armed resistance is the only path to ending the Israeli occupation. Over the last year, Zahar and Meshaal have clashed openly about the future direction of Hamas.