Head Of Hamas Diaspora Office Khaled Mash'al: Hamas Seeks To Restore Ties With Arab Countries, Especially Saudi Arabia; We Adhere To The Ideology Of The Muslim Brotherhood But Are An Independent Movement

Head of Hamas Diaspora Office Khaled Mash'al said that Hamas seeks to restore ties with Arab countries that had previously supported the movement, especially with Saudi Arabia. He made his remarks in an interview that aired on Al-Arabiya Network (Saudi Arabia) on July 4, 2021. Mash'al said also that Hamas adheres to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, but it remains an independent movement.

Interviewer: "I am asking a clear question. Do you belong to the Muslim Brotherhood now or not? The Arab world wants to know the ideological basis for your message."

Khaled Mash'al: "I will tell you. We are a Palestinian movement of resistance against the occupation. Yes, our roots are in the Muslim Brotherhood. Ideologically, we were, and still are, part of the Muslim Brotherhood, but we are an independent Palestinian movement. No one interferes in our matters. There are movements with a certain organizational structure and history. But today, Hamas is a Palestinian, Islamic, national movement that wages resistance against the occupation. Its leaders are the ones making the decisions. It is not under the control of any country or organization.

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"As you can see, Hamas does not put all its effort into one country. It strives to visit all the Arab and Islamic capitals, because we are a people with a cause."

Interviewer: "Are you going back to Syria?"

Mash'al: "We thank the [countries] that offered us their hospitality and support. We call on those who do not do so to welcome us in their capitals. I would like to use this opportunity to say that I hope that some Arab capitals open their doors to us, especially the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that we restore the historical ties that are still etched in our memory..."