NOVANEWS
| The Daily Star |
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| Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with Turkey’s Halk TV in Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria’s national news agency SANA on October 4, 2013. REUTERS/SANA |
| BEIRUT: Syrian President Bashar Assad says the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which supports rebels in their uprising against his regime, has deceived Damascus multiple times in recent years. |
“This wasn’t the first time that [Hamas] deceived us. This happened before in 2007 and 2009,” Assad said in remarks published Monday in the Beirut daily Al-Akhbar.
Saying Hamas has “a history of treachery and treason,” Assad added that he hopes someone will persuade the Islamist group to return as a resistance movement.
“But I doubt it,” Assad continued. “Hamas has stood against Syria since day one” of the uprising which erupted in March 2011.
Once an ally of Assad, the embattled Syrian president said Hamas decided to give up the resistance to be part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
Saying Hamas has “a history of treachery and treason,” Assad added that he hopes someone will persuade the Islamist group to return as a resistance movement.
“But I doubt it,” Assad continued. “Hamas has stood against Syria since day one” of the uprising which erupted in March 2011.
Once an ally of Assad, the embattled Syrian president said Hamas decided to give up the resistance to be part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
