Hamas Removes Images of Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood Slogans after Its Agreement with Cairo

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in Gaza (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The organisation Hamas that rules over the Gaza Strip has removed Muslim Brotherhood slogans and pictures of their leaders including the group’s founder Hassan Al-Banna and former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. It is thought that this surprising step is linked to the agreement that was concluded last week with Egyptian intelligence leaders. The agreement concerns the disengagement of the Palestinian organisation from the Muslim Brotherhood.

Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that all pictures and slogans that refer to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas’ affiliation with them have been removed. According to the sources, all logos and images were removed, including those that had been there for years. A large image in the Al-Saraya area, central Gaza was removed. The image showed the current and previous Emirs of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Hamas official in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas’ Politburo Chief Khaled Meshaal. Written underneath the image was “Jerusalem is waiting for the men”. The image has been replaced with a signboard on which a message to Egypt is written “Hamas does not fight outside of Palestine … our aim is to liberate it”, in reference to the organisation’s lack of involvement in any events in Egypt.

The head of the Hamas delegation confirmed the content of this message during his meeting with leaders of Egyptian intelligence last week. Hamas has not only removed Muslim Brotherhood slogans in Gaza, but has also removed any reference to the mother organisation inside mosques. This includes the commandments of Hassan Al-Banna which are taught to children.

An Israeli web portal providing news called Walla! published an article about the internal conflict within Hamas regarding the nature of its relationship with Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah, and even with ISIS in Sinai. According to the site, the conflict is at a political and military level.

http://english.aawsat.com/2016/03/article55348739/hamas-removes-images-of-morsi-and-muslim-brotherhood-slogans-after-its-agreement-with-cairo