Palestine's Hamas to restore ties with Syria after 10-yr split

Gaza, Sep 16 The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has said it would continue building and developing solid ties with Syria, signifying a possible restoration of relations between the two sides after ten years of estrangement.

In a statement, the Gaza ruling faction on Thursday said that building and developing ties with Syria "will serve our nation and just causes, with the Palestinian cause at its core, especially in light of the accelerating regional and international developments".

The movement's relationship with Syria hit rock bottom in 2012 when it closed its headquarters in Syria's capital over its stance on the Syrian civil war, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Hamas has a constant strategy and keenness to develop and strengthen its ties with its Arab and Islamic surroundings, and all those who support the Palestinian cause and the resistance factions in the Palestinian territories," the Hamas statement said.

Hamas also strongly condemned in the statement "the repeated Israeli aerial attacks on Syrian territory, especially the recent bombing of the Damascus and Aleppo airports, adding that the movement supports Syria in the face of this aggression".

It called for reconciliation and understanding among the Arab world through serious dialogue so as to serve Palestine's interests and causes.

In June, a Hamas source revealed to Xinhua that significant progress had been made to restore the relationship between the movement and the Syrian leadership after great efforts made by the Lebanese Hezbollah leadership over the past months.

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