Senior Hamas delegation expected to visit Cairo soon

Talks would focus on ways of ending the power struggle between Gaza leadership and Fatah.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Elaraby 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Elaraby 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
In yet another sign of rapprochement between Hamas and the new Egyptian regime, a senior delegation from the Islamist movement is expected to visit Cairo shortly.
The delegation, which would be headed by Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, is scheduled to meet with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby and members of the ruling military council.
The talks would focus on ways of ending the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah.
Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar arrived in Cairo earlier this week for what was described as a “private visit” to relatives. This was Zahar’s second visit to Cairo since former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February.
Hamas and Egyptian leaders have expressed a desire in improving their relations in the post-Mubarak era.
The Egyptians have signaled their willingness to reopen the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
In a goodwill gesture to Hamas, the Egyptian authorities have in recent weeks released scores of Palestinians who were held in Egyptian prisons because of their activities on behalf of the movement. The Egyptians have also promised to look into Hamas’s request to open a representative office that would function as an unofficial embassy in Cairo.
Osama Hamdan, Hamas’s “foreign minister,” said on Tuesday that his movement was keen on improving its relationship with the new government in Egypt.
“Our contacts with Egypt are continuing,” he said.
“We are discussing various issues related to the situation in the Palestinian arena and the reopening of the Rafah border crossing.”