On Tuesday, the heads of Hezbollah and Hamas came together in Beirut to discuss last month’s 11-day Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived in Lebanon on Sunday, and met with numerous Lebanese top officials, including President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
The two leaders discussed how they can build on the experience of the recent round of violence between Israel and Hamas.
The two sides also underlined “the depth of the existing relationship between Hezbollah and Hamas, and its key role … in this decisive battle”, Anadolu Agency reported, citing a Hezbollah statement.
Following the meeting, in a press conference, Haniyeh emphasized the significance of the right of reappearance for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, and the rejection of resettlement or an “alternative homeland”. The Hamas chief stated that the Palestinians who reside in Lebanon are “guests” until they can return to their homeland and that they contribute to Lebanon’s “stability and security.”
Haniyeh also noted that “Jerusalem remains the focus of the conflict with the occupation and the resistance is the strategic choice for liberation.”
The meeting was the first between the two leaders since September 2020.
During the escalation of violence last month, Israeli air attacks and shelling caused widespread destruction in the impoverished enclave, which has been under a joint Israeli-Egyptian air, land and sea blockade since 2007.
