Saudi think tank proposes exile of Hamas leaders to Algeria

A Saudi Arabian think tank has outlined a plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza, by transferring the leadership of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas to the Algerian capital, Algiers.

According to a report by French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, a “confidential document” released by the Riyadh-based Gulf Research Center was drafted by its director Abdelaziz Al-Sagher following a meeting on 19 November in the Kingdom with Anne Grillo, head of the North Africa and Middle East Department at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The document is said to have made its way to the ministry, the report added.

Le Monde said that the choice of Algeria as a potential destination for exiled Hamas leaders was due to its “favorable relations with Qatar and Iran, identified as ‘the main supporters of the Hamas movement,’ and its perceived ‘security capacity’ to effectively ‘monitor the activities of these leaders.’”

The specific suggestion for the transfer of “the military and security leaders of Hamas” is believed to refer to commander of the movement’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Dief and the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.

Other aspects of the plan include the deployment of Arab peacekeeping forces to Gaza, under a UN mandate, and the creation of a “joint transition council,” bringing together the main parties in Gaza (including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad) who would be “responsible for managing the enclave for four years and organizing presidential and parliamentary elections.”

Last month, Algeria’s parliament voted unanimously in favour of authorising President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to go to war against the occupation state in solidarity with Palestine. It was reported by local media that all members of the Algerian People’s National Assembly (APN) voted in favour to allow Tebboune to express support for Gaza.

Source: Middle East Monitor 

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Aneeqa Du Plessis

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