Hamas to boost ties with Iran, Syria

Ze'ev Schiff, Haaretz:

In the wake of its landslide victory in the Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas is expected to grow much closer to Iran and Syria. Ties with Iran will center on financing, operational know-how and political support.

Israel believes agreements on this matter were already reached on the eve of the elections at a meeting in Damascus with visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. READ MORE

During his visit to Syria, Ahmadinejad met with representatives of the Palestinian organizations and with the head of Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. Of particular importance was Ahmadinejad's meeting with the leader of Hamas abroad, Khaled Meshal.

In the past, Iran relied primarily on Islamic Jihad, but since Yasser Arafat's death the ties with Hamas have grown tighter.

Ahmadinejad promised Hamas financial and political support and closer military ties. With Hamas winning the Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections, this means that aid for Hamas' military wing will indirectly aid the Palestinian security organizations.

On the other hand, the internal talks indicate that Syria and Hezbollah, as well as Iran, are underscoring the need to beware of cooperation with Al-Qaida elements, which infiltrate from Iraq into Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon to forge ties with Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Israeli defense officials say that if Israel backs down and continues aiding the Palestinian Authority as if nothing happened, and especially after a Hamas government is formed, there will be a sweeping retreat in the West's position regarding aid for a Hamas government.

"Israel must not blink" on the strict terms imposed on Hamas, they say; any concession will cause the Western countries' stances to collapse.

An Israeli retreat would adversely impact Jordan's situation. The Jordanians have told the Israelis that they are worried Israel might "export to Jordan" the problems created vis-a-vis Hamas and Iran.

In Damascus and Tehran, Hamas is considered a "winning card" worth backing. A mutual embrace is therefore expected. Iran intends to make sure Hamas does not give in to political pressure from the West and several Arab countries to reach a political compromise including recognition of Israel and a stop to the violence in return for Western financial aid to the PA. Iran and Syria are demanding that Hamas stand firm on its ideology. Tehran is promising financial aid in place of the West, and says it has vast resources from oil sales to help Hamas.

The "illicit" funneling of money to terrorist groups in the territories goes through various conduits that are difficult to block. This is one of Israel's greatest failures in its war on terror. In one case Israel seized concealed Hamas accounts at an Arab bank, which prompted complaints from the United States, Egypt and Jordan. Israel appointed an interministerial committee to counter the money flow to terrorist groups in the territories. The committee improved the methods of combating this phenomenon, but has not really succeeded in blocking the smuggling, which will now surely increase following Hamas' victory and its growing ties to Iran.