Hamas chief makes 1st visit to Saudi Arabia in years

By Anadolu Staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh has arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first visit to the kingdom in years.

Haniyeh, who touched down in the kingdom late Monday, is accompanied by a high-profile delegation that includes former political chief Khaled Meshal, a Hamas source told Anadolu.

The Hamas delegation will hold talks with Saudi officials to discuss the latest Palestinian developments and Hamas-Saudi relations, the source said.

“Hamas is keen on maintaining balanced ties with all Arab and Islamic countries in a way that serves the Palestinian cause and people,” the source added.

Haniyeh’s visit coincides with an official visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived in the kingdom on Monday.

It is not yet clear whether Abbas and Haniyeh will meet during their visit to Saudi Arabia.

The last Hamas visit to Saudi Arabia was in 2015 when Meshal met with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and senior Saudi officials.

In August 2021, a Saudi court sentenced 69 Palestinian and Jordanian nationals to different jail terms over accusations of Hamas links.

Riyadh, however, released most of the detainees in recent months, including Hamas representative to the kingdom Mohammed al-Khudari.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara