How Benjamin Netanyahu Unintentionally Empowered Khaled Meshaal: The Surprising Rise of Hamas’ New Leader
The assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran eliminates a key political figure but is not expected to impact the leadership of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza. Khaled Meshaal, a former Hamas leader who survived a 1997 Israeli assassination attempt, is a leading candidate to replace Haniyeh. Meshaal resides in Qatar and remains influential within the organization.
Hamas, supported by Iran, is designated a terrorist group by Israel and Western nations due to its history of suicide bombings and conflicts with Israel. However, Palestinian supporters see Meshaal and Hamas leaders as defenders of liberation from Israeli occupation and advocates for Palestinian rights.
Khaled Meshaal, 68, led Hamas in exile after Israel’s failed assassination attempt in 1997. He represented the group internationally without facing Israeli travel restrictions. Reuters, citing Hamas sources, reports that Meshaal is poised to become the new leader, succeeding Haniyeh. Both Iran and Hamas have vowed retaliation against Israel for Haniyeh’s assassination.
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, another potential leader, is favored by Iran and its allies. Meshaal’s relationship with Iran has been strained since he supported the Sunni-led uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2011.
Since its founding in 1987, Israel has targeted Hamas leaders. Meshaal, prominent since the late 1990s, has mostly operated from exile. He became the overall leader of Hamas after Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor Abdel-Aziz Al-Rantissi were assassinated in 2004.
Meshaal rejects a permanent peace with Israel but has hinted that Hamas might accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in return for a long-term ceasefire. Following a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes and invasion of Gaza have caused significant Palestinian casualties. Meshaal calls for Arab and Muslim nations to join the fight against Israel and insists Palestinians should determine Gaza’s post-conflict leadership, challenging efforts by Israel and the U.S. to exclude Hamas from governance.
Born in Silwad near Ramallah, Meshaal moved to Kuwait as a child and joined the Muslim Brotherhood at 15. He engaged in fundraising and international lobbying for Hamas. After surviving an Israeli assassination attempt ordered by Benjamin Netanyahu in 1997, his standing as a militant icon grew, leading to diplomatic crises and his eventual relocation to Syria and later to Qatar and Cairo.
Meshaal led Hamas from Damascus until 2012, leaving due to Assad’s crackdown. His tenure saw Hamas consolidate control over Gaza, clashing with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Meshaal stepped down in 2017, ceding leadership to Ismail Haniyeh. In 2021, he was elected to head Hamas’ diaspora office, maintaining his significant role in the organization.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/world/hamas-chief-killing-ismail-haniyeh-khaled-meshaal-benjamin-netanyahu-israel-mossad-iran-lebanon-palestine-middle-east-us-11722482946647.html
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