Hamas Urges Former Ally Hezbollah to Leave Syria

The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Monday urged Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia to withdraw its fighters from Syria and accused it of stoking sectarian tensions, leveling unprecedented public criticism against a former ally. (more…)

Israeli PM accuses Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas of cyber attacks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran and its Palestinian and Lebanese allies on Sunday of carrying out “non-stop” cyber attacks on major computer systems in his country.

He gave no details on the number of attacks but said “vital national systems” had been targeted (more…)

Hezbollah orders former ally Hamas out of Lebanon

Lebanese Hezbollah militant group has ordered its former ally the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas out of Lebanon effective immediately and within hours , the Middle East Online news agency reported (more…)

Hamas cuts ties with Assad and is now training the rebels

THE military wing of Hamas, a former ally of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, is training the rebel Free Syrian Army in eastern Damascus.

Diplomatic sources said members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades were training FSA units in the rebel-held neighbourhoods of Yalda, Jaramana and Babbila.

The developmentseems to confirm that Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs the Gaza Strip, has made a final break with its former Syrian host (more…)

Hamas re-elected Khaled Meshaal as its leader

Hamas re-elected Khaled Meshaal on Tuesday as the Islamist group’s leader, at a marathon overnight closed-door meeting held in Cairo, an official with the organization said. (more…)

Hamas set to announce leader, report

Hamas will most likely select Khalid Mashaal as the head of its politburo for a fourth time late Monday, a senior member of the Islamic movement said.

“Tonight, the presidency of the political bureau will be resolved, and most likely Khalid Mashaal will remain” the Hamas leader for another term, Ahmad Yousef told Ma’an.
(more…)

Low expectations in West Bank for Obama’s visit

RAMALLAH, West Bank — As Israelis roll out new red carpet and line streets with American flags for President Obama’s visit, the U.S. leader faces a decidedly less enthusiastic reception in the West Bank, where the mood ranges from ho-hum to don’t come.

On Tuesday, dozens of protesters called on Obama to cancel visits to Ramallah and Bethlehem, complaining that the president had failed to do enough to bring them statehood. (more…)

Israeli PM Names a hard-line Defense Minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed on Sunday a hard-line former military chief as the country’s new defense minister.

Moshe Yaalon, a former army commando, has said Iran’s suspect nuclear program is Israel’s top security concern, (more…)

Fatah rally descends into Chaos in Gaza

Leaders of the Palestinian Fatah party led tens of thousands of supporters Friday in a mass rally in the Gaza Strip, the first such gathering in the territory since Hamas seized power in 2007.

The demonstration (more…)

Syrian troops mass at Palestinian camp as conflict flares

Syrian troops backed by tanks gathered outside the Palestinian Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus on Monday, the scene of clashes between Palestinians loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and rebels supported by Palestinian fighters, activists said.

Clashes inside the camp continued on Monday with thousands of people fleeing to nearby suburbs (more…)