Hamas cuts ties with Assad and is now training the rebels

Share:

Ezzedine al-Qassam BrigadesTHE 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 and fully embraced the patronage of Qatar, the small but influential Gulf state that is a major financial and logistical backer of some rebel factions.

“The Qassam Brigades have been training units very close to Damascus. These are specialists. They are really good,” said a Western diplomat with high-level contacts in the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition who visits Damascus regularly.

Other sources suggested that Hamas trainers were helping the FSA to dig tunnels beneath at least one contested area of Damascus in preparation for a widely expected assault on the city centre. Hamas has extensive tunnel-building experience in Gaza, to smuggle goods in from Egypt and to infiltrate Israel or launch attacks against Israeli targets.

A Palestinian source from Lebanon’s Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp said it was common knowledge that a few hundred Hamas militants were fighting alongside the FSA in the Yarmouk and Neirab Palestinian camps in Damascus and Aleppo, Syria’s commercial capital.

Hamas has vehemently denied any such link. Osama Hamdan, a leading Hamas official based in Lebanon, said: “It’s a false thing. There are no members of Ezzedine al-Qassam or any militant members of Hamas in Syria.

“We don’t interfere in the internal problems of Syria. Our members there are normal civilians, Syrian Palestinians, who live with their families there. From the beginning of what has happened in Syria, we rejected as a movement any involvement of any Palestinian in the current events in Syria.”

The Assad regime gave shelter to Hamas in Damascus from 1999 when Jordan expelled the group. Hamas was part of the “axis of resistance”, the pan-regional alliance that grouped Iran, Syria, Lebanon’s Shia Hezbollah and smaller Palestinian factions.

However, when the uprising against the Assad regime erupted two years ago, Hamas found itself caught between its loyalty to the regime and obligations to its Palestinian supporters, who overwhelmingly sided with the Syrian opposition. Hamas, as the only significant Sunni member of the “axis of resistance”, risked angering the predominantly Sunni opposition in Syria by standing beside a regime drawn from the Alawite sect.

As the initially peaceful uprising turned into an armed conflict, Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’s top political leader, quietly slipped out of Damascus in February last year and moved to Qatar. That month, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, openly declared the movement’s support for the Syrian opposition.

There have been scattered reports of Hamas personnel travelling to Syria to participate in the rebellion. One Palestinian, identified as a Hamas trainer, was killed in Idlib in December.

Palestinian and Arab diplomatic sources said if Hamas had dispatched military trainers to Damascus, it was likely at the behest of Qatar rather than a unilateral decision by Hamas’s leadership.

The Australian

First published in the TIMES

Share:

Comments

46 responses to “Hamas cuts ties with Assad and is now training the rebels”

  1. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    Comment Deleted because it was posted twice.

  2. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    Salafi prayer;
    اللهم بلّغنا ديمقراطية السعوية و رخاء الصومال و حُريّة ايران و أمان افغانستان

    ……. وحضارة باكستان و إستقرار الشيشان و وحدة السودان و إئتلاف العراق و إخاء مورىتانيا

    اللهم لا توقعنا في ديكتاتورية السويد الكافره ولا تخلف انكلترا و لا قمع الدانيمارك
    و لا إرهاب فنلندا و لا مجاعات سويسرا و لا جهل المانيا و لا تكاسل اليابان …. أ مين

  3. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    A salafi prayer!
    اللهم بلّغنا ديمقراطية السعوية و رخاء الصومال و حُريّة ايران و أمان افغانستان وحضارة باكستان و إستقرار الشيشان و وحدة السودان و إئتلاف العراق و
    إخاء مورىتانيا…..

    اللهم لا توقعنا في ديكتاتورية السويد الكافره ولا تخلف انكلترا و لا قمع الدانيمارك و لا إرهاب فنلندا و لا مجاعات سويسرا و لا جهل المانيا و لا تكاسل اليابان …. أ مين…..

    1. IraniAngel Avatar
      IraniAngel

      Please translate this post

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        It’s a prayer/poem of Salafi men in the aftermath of all these revolutions.
        Forgive my weak translation talents.It sounds much better in Arabic.

        “Oh God, help us reach the Saudi democracy, the prosperity of Somalia, the Iranian Freedom, and the Safety of Afghanistan……. Help us reach the civilization of Pakistan, the stability of Chechnya, the unity of Sudan, the coalition of Iraq, and the brotherhood of Mauritania.
        God do not make us fall into the dictatorship of infidel Sweden, or into the backwardness of England ,nor into the oppressiveness of Denmark…….And Do not make us fall into terrorism of Finland , famines of Switzerland , and not into the ignorance of Germany ,nor the laziness of Japan.”

        1. IraniAngel Avatar
          IraniAngel

          Okay i dont get this. since when did the arabs care about Iran and a free Iran in particular? Dont they know what consequences a free Iran would have for them? Believe me iraniAngels are stuffed with Felestin and Lobnan and Aragh and Sooriye and Arabestoon. im glad for the arab support of the irainangels in our struggle for a Iroone Azad though. Iroone Azad would be like paradise on Earth. These words dont need to be translated, do they? :DDDDD
          One last question does your other post typed in Arabic mean the same thing?

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Second paragraph. It was originally a satirical ‘joke’ …. but since there’s no allowance for humour in ‘the faith’, (also see Egypt TV satirist) they didn’t understand that, and so, it got added to the ‘scripts’ to chant, and called a prayer.
            And let’s face it … if you never had any money for travel to simply see what life is like elsewhere, and you believe everything from the mouth of a preacher (Imam) is absolute truth, then why would this ‘prayer’ seem odd? Have you seen the stuff that flows to ‘the people’ in North Korea from the propaganda machine??

          2. Prophettttt Avatar
            Prophettttt

            Yes, Mistakenly posted twice.
            You seem to generalize a little bit as if all Arabs think and behave the same. I thought it was funny and sarcastic,and it made fun of some of the Arab countries who are infested with Salafi thoughts,and Iran was added to spice it up.

          3. IraniAngel Avatar
            IraniAngel

            guilty…. i am generalizing ;( a bad habit… okay now i get it thanks to your clarification.. but seriously we the iraniAngels want a Iroone Azad!!! do you know how exasperating it is that every time we wanna get wasted we have to go to azerbaijan or turgay.. thank god when travelling to the latter visa isnt required LOL

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Yes. Guilty. Have a scotch. 😉

          5. IraniAngel Avatar
            IraniAngel

            oh my god did you fall off the waggon??? now that explains the nonsense you have been posting lately :)) I’m lolling out loud!!!!

    2. Constantin7 Avatar
      Constantin7

      It’s good that I read your translation in English to understand that you were reciting a salafi prayer, because you do not specify it in Arabic, and for a minute I thought “lah lah lah lah Prophetttt dropped the takyya and is showning his real colors” 🙂

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        lol, Good you pointed that out.I’m glad you enjoyed something salafi. However,I took note of your suspicion of of my different colors.

  4. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    اللهم بلّغنا ديمقراطية السعوية و رخاء الصومال و حُريّة ايران و أمان افغانستان وحضارة باكستان و إستقرار الشيشان و وحدة السودان و إئتلاف العراق و إخاء مورىتانيا…..

    اللهم لا توقعنا في ديكتاتورية السويد الكافره ولا تخلف انكلترا و لا قمع الدانيمارك و لا إرهاب فنلندا و لا مجاعات سويسرا و لا جهل المانيا و لا تكاسل اليابان …. أ مين…..

    1. IraniAngel Avatar
      IraniAngel

      Please translate this post

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        It’s a prayer/poem of Arab men in the aftermath of all these revolutions.
        Forgive my weak translation talents.
        Oh God, help us reach the Saudi democracy, the prosperity of Somalia, the Iranian Freedom, and the Safety of Afghanistan……. Help us reach the civilization of Pakistan, the stability of Chechnya, the unity of Sudan, the coalition of Iraq, and the brotherhood of Mauritania.
        God do not make us fall into the dictatorship of infidel Sweden, or into the backwardness of England ,nor into the oppressiveness of Denmark…….And Do not make us fall into terrorism of Finland , famines of Switzerland , and not into the ignorance of Germany ,nor the laziness of Japan.

        1. IraniAngel Avatar
          IraniAngel

          Okay i dont get this. since when did the arabs care about Iran and a free Iran in particular? Dont they know what consequences a free Iran would have for them? Believe me iraniAngels are stuffed with Felestin and Lobnan and Aragh and Sooriye and Arabestoon. im glad for the arab support of the irainangels in our struggle for a Iroone Azad though. Iroone Azad would be like paradise on Earth. These words dont need to be translated, do they? :DDDDD
          One last question does your other post typed in Arabic mean the same thing?

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            It was originally a satirical ‘joke’ …. but since there’s no allowance for humour in ‘the faith’, (also see Egypt TV satirist) they didn’t understand that, and so, it got added to the ‘scripts’.

          2. Prophettttt Avatar
            Prophettttt

            Yes, Mistakenly posted twice.
            You seem to generalize a little bit as if all Arabs think and behave the same. I thought it was funny and sarcastic,and it made fun of some of the Arab countries who are infested with Salafi thoughts,and Iran was added to spice it up.

          3. IraniAngel Avatar
            IraniAngel

            guilty…. i am generalizing ;( a bad habit… okay now i get it thanks to your clarification.. but seriously we the iraniAngels want a Iroone Azad!!! do you know how exasperating it is that every time we wanna get wasted we have to go to azerbaijan or turgay.. thank god when travelling to the latter visa isnt required LOL

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Yes. Guilty. Have a scotch. 😉

          5. IraniAngel Avatar
            IraniAngel

            oh my god did you fall off the waggon??? now that explains the nonsense you have been posting lately :)) I’m lolling out loud!!!!

    2. Constantin7 Avatar
      Constantin7

      It’s good that I read your translation in English to understand that you were reciting a salafi prayer, because you do not specify it in Arabic, and for a minute I thought “lah lah lah lah Prophetttt dropped the takyya and is showning his real colors” 🙂

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        lol, Good you pointed that out.I’m glad you enjoyed something salafi. However,I took not of your suspicion of of my different colors.

  5. ali elzein Avatar
    ali elzein

    If this is true wat a shame Syria is the only country besides Iran and Hezbollah to supply and defend these traitors

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Opportunists go where the money is, and the future seems brighter.

      1. ali elzein Avatar
        ali elzein

        Ofcource they do but do you really think that Saudi and Qatar are gonna supply them in the future?

        1. Prophettttt Avatar
          Prophettttt

          How could anyone trust someone who betrayed his own father,and threw him out. Don’t they know what Hamad did to his father?

    2. Reasonableman Avatar
      Reasonableman

      Uh ohh.. i smell another revolution.

    3. Prophettttt Avatar
      Prophettttt

      Yes Ali, what a shame. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Assad, He took so much heat for hosting them,and now they are paying him back. This should be a good lesson for HA ,and for all the Lebanese(especially the southerners who paid a heavy price) who supported Hamas and the armed Palestinian resistance, to rethink their Palestine strategy. Yes, We support the Palestinian cause,but we can’t be more Palestinian then Palestinians themselves.We did more for Palestine than they ever did for themselves,and It’s about time to abandon the Palestinian liberation on our own. Let them ,along with their new supporters , be on the forefront,and then, we will have their back.Our main objective,as Lebanese and resistance, should only be liberating and defending Lebanon. Not a drop of blood is worth spelling for Hamas or Fatah. They have no loyalty and no integrity. I never expected them to support Assad,and they should not. The least they should do is to take no stand,and declare that they have their own cause to worry about.Don’t bit the hand that fed you for years, don’t betray those who sheltered you for year. They have always been their own worst enemy,and they always ride the wrong horse.
      I know many people on this blog will take a shot at me,and tell me ‘we told you so”.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Shot of … (oops .. ran out …)

        1. Prophettttt Avatar
          Prophettttt

          Not exactly. It’s a question of loyal. You have my back,I have yours.

  6. ali elzein Avatar
    ali elzein

    If this is true wat a shame Syria is the only country besides Iran and Hezbollah to supply and defend these traitors

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Opportunists go where the money is, and the future seems brighter.

      1. ali elzein Avatar
        ali elzein

        Ofcource they do but do you really think that Saudi and Qatar are gonna supply them in the future?

        1. Prophettttt Avatar
          Prophettttt

          How could anyone trust someone who betrayed his own father,and threw him out. Don’t they know what Hamad did to his father?

    2. Reasonableman Avatar
      Reasonableman

      Uh ohh.. i smell another revolution.

    3. Prophettttt Avatar
      Prophettttt

      Yes what a shame. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Assad, He took so much heat for hosting them,and now they are paying him back. This should be a good lesson for HA ,and for all the Lebanese who supported Hamas and the Palestinian resistance, to rethink their Palestine strategy. Yes, We support the Palestinian cause,but we can’t be more Palestinian then Palestinians themselves.We did more for Palestine than they ever did for themselves,and It’s about time to abandon the Palestinian liberation on our own. Let them ,and those who support them be on the forefront,and then, we will help them.Our main objective should only be defending Lebanon. Not a drop of blood is worth spelling for these people.
      I know many people on this blog will take a shot at me,and tell me ‘we told you so”.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Shot of … (oops .. ran out …)

        1. Prophettttt Avatar
          Prophettttt

          Not exactly. It’s a question of loyal. you have my back,I have yours.

  7. IraniAngel Avatar
    IraniAngel

    This is not likely

  8. IraniAngel Avatar
    IraniAngel

    This is not likely

  9. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has a vision of a new world order made up of 10 other nations in the middle east and beyond to work to end the 18-month Syrian civil war. The Bible says the leader of a 10 nation confederacy will be the anti-christ……….

    …………Makes me wonder……….

    ……Revelation 17:12-13……….

    12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

  10. Crossroads Avatar
    Crossroads

    Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has a vision of a new world order made up of 10 other nations in the middle east and beyond to work to end the 18-month Syrian civil war. The Bible says the leader of a 10 nation confederacy will be the anti-christ……….

    …………Makes me wonder……….

    ……Revelation 17:12-13……….

    12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

  11. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
    Michaelinlondon1234

    The US is hiring a lot of death squads to go in to Syria and destroy and loot the country. So it is possible they have recruited members of Hamas to participate

  12. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
    Michaelinlondon1234

    The US is hiring a lot of death squads to go in to Syria and destroy and loot the country. So it is possible they have recruited members of Hamas to participate

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *