Israeli Diplomat: Turkey Grants Citizenship of Hamas Members

llustration: Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, January 3, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Ankara, MINA – An Israeli diplomat on Wednesday confirmed reports that Turkey granted citizenship to a dozen members of the Palestinian Hamas group.

“Some are in the process, some have got (documents), but we are talking about a dozen,” said Roey Gilad, an official at the Israeli embassy in Turkey as quoted from the Times of Israel.

Gilad said Israel has proof of it. “We already have a document which we will submit to the government in a copy,” he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday met with a Hamas delegation, including the head of the political bureau Ismail Haniyeh and number two Saleh al-Arouri.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported that Turkey was in the process of granting citizenship to high-ranking Hamas members living in its territory. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)