
(Photo credit: AP Photo/Adel Hana)
The leader of the political bureau of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, will visit Moscow next week to hold “significant talks” with Russian officials.
“A large delegation from the Movement’s leadership will arrive in Moscow next Sunday, and will hold meetings with the Russian side starting Monday,” an unnamed Russian source told Asharq Al-Awsat on 7 September.
Haniyeh will be accompanied by a number of members of the Political Bureau, including the deputy head of Hamas’ Political Bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk.
“Haniyeh carries new ideas that he intends to present during his meetings with Russian officials as part of an integrated work program,” the source added.
These “new ideas” reportedly include detailed plans to establish a Palestinian national front against Israel’s acts of aggression.
According to the source, Hamas wants Moscow’s opinion of their plan and to discuss issues related to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, following Tel Aviv’s most recent attacks.
Haniyeh’s visit will reportedly include a possible meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
A Hamas delegation last visited Moscow in May, headed by Marzouk.
During this visit, Lavrov extended an official invitation to Haniyeh to visit the Russian capital.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the relationship between Russia and Israel has deteriorated significantly, with the Russian foreign ministry at the time issuing a statement condemning Tel Aviv for its support of “the neo-Nazi groups” in Ukraine.