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Hamas stands by Syrian 'brothers' Gaza's ruling party recalls Syria's support of the Palestinian resistance while describing protests against the regime as an 'internal matter'
The Hamas movement asserted Sunday that the unrest that has swept Syria over the past two weeks was an "internal matter" in its first statement on the subject. “We consider what's happening an internal matter concerning our Syrian brothers,” a statement published on Hamas' official website said. “Nevertheless, we in the Hamas movement, by virtue of our principles, respect the Arab and Islamic nations' will and aspirations.” Hamas said it was closely following the situation in Syria. “We hope the current circumstances are overcome in a way that fulfils the hopes and aspirations of the Syrian people and preserves Syria's stability and internal cohesion,” the statement continued. Protests calling for reform have erupted in several Syrian cities. Syria has remained under emergency law for almost five decades since the Baath party under Bashar Al-Assad's father, Hafez, assumed power in 1963. Syria has stood by the Palestinian resistance, especially Hamas, through difficult circumstances and many challenges, Hamas said in their statement. Many of the movement's leaders reside in Syria, most prominent of these is Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas' political bureau. It has also been home to several factions of the Palestinian resistance, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinie (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), which complicates any Hamas support for the Syrian regime's opposition. Furthermore, according to Palestinian estimates published in the daily Al-Hayat, around 400,000 Palestinian refugees reside in nine camps in Syria.
