Two banished Hamas leaders are expected to return to Amman from exile in Qatar, after agreeing to freeze their political activities, reported Ad Dustour Arabic daily.
Sources told the paper that Hamas was due to start negotiating a deal with the Jordanian government by which the its politburo members, Sami Khater and Izzat Rishiq, would be allowed to come home with an understanding similar to that reached last week regarding Hamas spokesman Ibrahim Ghoshe.
Ghoshe entered Jordan on Saturday under a deal authorizing his return from 18 months of exile. Ghoshe, Khater, Rishiq and Hamas politburo chief Khalid Mishaal were deported from Jordan after they were accused of belonging to an illegal organization and working to destabilize the kingdom.
Ghoshe, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, had flown into Amman unexpectedly from his exile in Doha on June 14, in defiance of the government decision of November 1999.
Jordan accepted his return after he agreed in a written message to freeze all political activities in his capacity as Hamas spokesman, without giving up his membership in the Palestinian resistance group.
"Mr. Ghoshe sent the Jordanian government a hand-written document in which he pledges to freeze all political, media and organizational activity within Hamas," Jordanian Information Minister Saleh Qallab said on Friday.
Government officials said Jordan's King Abdullah instructed the government to allow Ghoshe's return to Amman "where he will be able to live as an ordinary citizen.”
The sources told Ad Dustour that the talks between Hamas and Jordan would not include Mishaal, who was quoted as saying that he was not in a position to relinquish his political activities.
Mishaal reportedly added that he did not mind staying abroad – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
