Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is in Tehran today meeting with top Iranian officials, in a move that comes amid growing rumors that the movement is looking to transition away from Iranian backing in favor of the growing Sunni Islamist movement in the region.
Hamas is a Sunni faction, and with the sort of “moderate Islamist” factions like en-Nadha in Tunisia and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt sweeping elections in the wake of revolutions, it makes sense that Hamas would try to claim some of this success for themselves.
It will be easier for Hamas to do that if the brokered reconciliation deal with Fatah manages to survive Israeli objections, and nations like Qatar might be more internationally palatable patrons for Hamas.
Operating under this assumption, Haniyeh’s visit to Tehran appears to be more about trying to keep the Hamas faction’s options open, and to avoid completely alienating Iran, a long time supporter. It is unclear if they can maintain support on both sides, but the rewards for trying would be significant.
“It is unclear if they can maintain support on both sides,
but the rewards for trying would be significant.”
The only reason Hamas has been able to reconcile with corrupt Fatah is because Hamas has compromised a good many of its values to the point of almost throwing out the baby with the wash water, even to the point of allowing most corrupt Abbas to head the new government. So, expect such harmony to be short lived at best.
The goal of most all of the Muslim leaders is for complete unity among the faithful, whereupon no Western tank, battleship or fighter jet would dare show its deadly force in any Middle-East or North Africa nation. And so, keep your eye on Hamas, as it is the danger of a good example that might just get the job done.
That's probably a baseless rumore. The Sunni Arabs have never helped or championed the cause of Palestine. The largest of the Sunni ststes is the timid Saudi Arabia which is our ally and kisses the ass of the Jewish state.