Iran, Hamas to ‘confront dangers’ of US peace plan
TEHRAN: Iran’s intelligence minister and top officials of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas have agreed to “confront the dangers” of Washington’s peace plan for the Middle East, state news agency IRNA reported on Monday.
A Hamas source in Lebanon told AFP the two sides held talks Saturday at the Iranian embassy in Beirut.
According to IRNA, Mahmoud Alavi met with Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-aruri and other officials including the movement’s representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdulhadi.
The two sides agreed on the need to “confront challenges and dangers arising from the US government’s insistence on imposing” its so called “deal of the century”, IRNA reported.
The US peace plan, yet to be unveiled, has already been rejected by the Palestinians, who say President Donald Trump’s policies have been blatantly biased in favour of Israel.
Meanwhile, in a separate development Qatar is set to distribute more than $10 million in aid to thousands of cash-strapped Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, officials said on Monday.
The money was brought into the Hamascontrolled enclave on Sunday evening by the Qatari ambassador to Gaza and is expected to be distributed Monday or Tuesday, the official said on condition of anonymity.
More than 100,000 families will each receive payments of $100, he added.
Another $15 million would be provided for infrastructure and cash-for-work projects, the official said.
Palestinians lined up outside post offices throughout Gaza to receive their funds, but were ultimately turned away.
Kamal Musbah, 46, told reporters at midday he had been waiting since the early morning outside a post office in Gaza City.
“We don’t know anything yet,” he said.
Musbah and around 200 other people erupted with frustration when they were told in the aternoon to return the next day.
In yet another development on Sunday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inaugurated a new setlement in the Golan Heights, named ater the country’s “great friend” US President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu unveiled a “Trump Heights” sign, featuring an Israeli and a US flag, to mark the site of the new setlement.
“Thank you PM @netanyahu and the State of Israel for this great honor!” Trump tweeted.