Saudi Arabia Hosts Senior Hamas Delegation To Improve Ties

After normalization of ties with Iran and Syria, Saudi Arabia has invited a senior delegation of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas to Riyadh.

The Hamas-affiliated al-Resalah newspaper wrote Sunday that Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh, and Head of Hamas Diaspora Office Khaled Mashaal, who have been living in Qatar in the past years, arrived in Riyadh Sunday at the head of a high-level delegation.

The London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news website also reported that Hamas hopes the visit will serve as an opening to improve relations between the movement and Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, Hamas said "We affirm our keenness on positive relations with our brothers in Saudi Arabia and all brotherly countries in the service of the Palestinian cause and our Arab and Islamic nation."

In recent years, relations between Hamas and Saudi Arabia have been tense, with the Kingdom detaining some members of the movement and blaming them of supporting terrorism. The tensions mounted as Hamas drew closer to the Islamic Republic.

The Palestinian Authority has not yet responded to the Saudi invitation of the Hamas delegation.

With China's mediation, Saudi Arabia normalized ties with Iran on March 10 and returned its relations with Syria to the level before the Syrian war. The Saudi embassies in Iran and Syria are scheduled to reopen in the coming weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after returning to power that normalization with Saudi Arabia is one of the main goals of his new administration.