Syria tells Hamas to be more flexible
Al-Hayat Arabic daily reports that Syrians called on Hamas to accept Saudi peace plan to reduce international pressure
According to the report, Syria wants Hamas to adopt the Saudi peace initiative in order to decrease the international pressure placed on the Palestinian government. Syria maintains that Hamas leaders outside of the Palestinian territories can carry on holding the organization's ideology without any change.
The report claimed that the reasons for the maneuver can be found in questions in Damascus on the extent of Hamas' ability to adopt pragmatic stances.
'Separation between ideology and state'
In the context of the Syrian initiative, Egyptian and Saudi senior sources have made unofficial visits to Damascus.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent his former Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia for a meeting with Syrian President Basher Assad.
Egypt has also sent its foreign minister to Syria, as did Hamas' politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, and Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar.
Palestinian sources say that Syria's recent efforts are more intense than that of other Arab countries, which have clashed with Hamas on one issue or another since its elections victory.
Syria's efforts are based on the idea that "there should be a separation between Hamas and the Palestinian government – between ideology and state."
