Kuwait based Al-Jarida newspaper reports Hamas' Khaled Mashaal met with Iranian officials, asked for backing when organization exacerbates attacks on Israel
Hamas has
asked Iran to allow the organization to escalate its altercations with Israel,
carry out more suicide attacks and if need be – threaten kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit with
execution, Kuwait's Al-Jarida newspaper reported Friday.
The report, citing senior Hamas officials, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal recently met with a senior Iranian intelligence official, who accompanied Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on
his visit to Qatar last week.
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The two reportedly discussed Hamas' retaliation to a possible large-scale IDF operation in Gaza,
which may leave Hamas debilitated.
Mashaal, said the report, told the Iranians Hamas will need their political support, as well as Iran and Syria's go-ahead
to carry out a series of major attacks on Israel.
Al-Jarida further reported that Mashaal told the Iranians Hamas wants to kidnap more Israeli soldiers, as well as threaten Gilad Shalit's well-being in order to "stir Israeli public opinion, pressure Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
hinder the Israeli-Palestinian peace process."
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