Haniyah Elected as Hamas Politburo Chief

Ismail Haniyeh (left) and Khalid Meshaal.

Gaza, 10 Sya’ban 1438/7 May 2017 (MINA) – The Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas on Saturday elected Ismail Haniyah as the politburo chief.

Haniyah was elected in internal voting, adding that the new leadership would seek to bolster relations among Palestinian parties, KUNA reported, citing Hamas in a statement.

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Haniyah is succeeding Khaled Meshaal, who lives outside Gaza, and whose two-year term in office has expired. The newly elected political bureau chief had served as prime minister of the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip.

Earlier this week, Hamas declared a new manifesto accepting a Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, the territories occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967.

It also says its struggle is not against Jews because of their religion but against Israel as an occupier.

Hamas had originally vowed a fight to the finish against Israel. (T/RS5/RS1)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)