Advanced Search
Business | Metro | Nation | World | Sports | Features | Specials | Delta Stories
 
 
Hamas confirms Arab countries ready to mediate between Hamas, Jordan
31/5/2006 10:18

A spokesman of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) confirmed yesterday that some Arab countries were willing to mediate between the group and Jordan over allegedly weapons smuggling and attack attempts by Hamas members in Jordan.

Hamas spokesman Moshier al-Masri told reporters in Gaza, "Ithink some Arab countries showed willingness regarding this issue and I don't see there is a big problem for them to go ahead."He also criticized Jordan for "exaggerating the issue", but added that Palestinian Foreign Minister and senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar "was ready to go to Jordan and meet officials there."

Al-Masri's remarks came one day after the Jordanian government announced that some Arab mediators were trying to mediate between Hamas and Jordan over the recent friction.

Last month, Jordan said that it discovered a big weapons cache in the kingdom and arrested more than 20 alleged Hamas activists, accusing them of planning attacks against Jordanian officials, a charge denied by Hamas.

Three of the arrested confessed on the state television that they were recruited by Hamas' leaders in Syria and sent to the kingdom to carry out attacks.

Jordan then put off a scheduled visit by al-Zahar.In a bid to ease the tensions, Jordan has asked Hamas to send a delegation to the kingdom for talks.

Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, took control of the Palestinian government in late March after winning the January Palestinian legislative polls by a landslide.



Xinhua