Muslim scholars urge Hamas to reconsider restoring ties with Syrian regime

By Salih Muhammed and Mehmet Nuri Ucar

ISTANBUL (AA) – Muslim scholars on Sunday urged Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic organization, to reconsider its recent decision to restore relations with Syria’s Assad regime.

Stressing that the move contains major wrongdoings, the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) said in a statement that “the decision that contradicts principles, values, and Islamic law, needs to be reviewed by taking into consideration the points raised by the Muslim scholars.”

The statement, which has been signed by several eminent Muslim scholars, added that Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas' Political Bureau, has promised that the organization's concerns will be taken into consideration at the bureau's upcoming meeting.

On June 26, Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas' senior officer for relations with Islamic and Arab countries, told newspaper Al Akhbar that the organization has been seeking to restore relations with the Assad regime after a 10-year hiatus.