Report: Doha puts its support for Hamas on hold

Qatar seeks to stop Hamas' incitement against Egypt, as well as its illegal transfer of weapons to Sinai.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
An aerial view of Doha, Qatar's capital (photo credit: REUTERS)
An aerial view of Doha, Qatar's capital
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Doha has informed the Hamas leadership that it intends to temporarily stop its support for the Gaza-based organization in an attempt to pressure it to change its policies vis-a-vis Egypt, according to Al-Jarida, a Kuwaiti daily newspaper.
Qatar seeks to stop Hamas' incitement against Egypt as well as put an end to the illegal transfer of weapons from the Gaza Strip to terrorist groups in Sinai, a senior Egyptian official told the Arabic-language paper.
Hamas' leaders have distanced themselves from violence in Egypt and in the Peninsula and say they have no armed presence in areas outside Palestinian boundaries.
According to the report, the Egyptian source, who asked to stay anonymous, said Hamas wants Qatar to play a leading role in mending strained relations with Cairo. Hamas has long had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which was ousted from power in Egypt when president Mohamed Mursi was overthrown in the summer of 2013, but its relations with the current Egyptian government are tense.
Egypt and Qatar are trying to normalize ties after an 18-month standoff over Doha's support of the Muslim Brotherhood.
A high-level delegation of security and political officials, Al-Jarida said, is slated to travel to Cairo next week, on the heels of a meeting this week between Egyptian and Qatari intelligence personnel.