- Home
- War in the Middle East
- Hamas in Lebanon Tries to Put Things Right
Hamas's branch in Lebanon tried on Tuesday to put things right after the wave of indignation caused by its announcement the previous day that it had set up a group dubbed the Al-Aqsa Flood Vanguards with the mission of "liberating Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Its representative in Lebanon Ahmad Abdel Hadi told the Al-Nashra website that the Islamist group's statement, published on Monday, "has been misunderstood."
"This is not a paramilitary formation, and no resistance action will be undertaken from Lebanon," he said. However, he did not specify how Hamas intended to achieve the group's stated aim other than through military action.
"The aim is to absorb Palestinian youth in Lebanon, which Hamas has been attracting since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (against Israel) was carried out on October 7. Many want to join its ranks, and Hamas has seen fit to welcome these young people within the framework of a popular structure,” he explained.
"This structure," he continued, "should help develop the personalities of these young people (...) with the aim of involving them in the project of fighting the occupation (...) in the interests of both the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples."
Ahmad Abdel Hadi also denied that Hamas had any intention of "controlling the Palestinian camps," although the group is suspected to have launched a full-scale attack against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah in the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Helweh last September. The fighting between Islamists and Fatah fighters lasted several days during which Islamist fighters, believed to be backed by Hamas, tried to take control of the camp.
Its representative in Lebanon Ahmad Abdel Hadi told the Al-Nashra website that the Islamist group's statement, published on Monday, "has been misunderstood."
"This is not a paramilitary formation, and no resistance action will be undertaken from Lebanon," he said. However, he did not specify how Hamas intended to achieve the group's stated aim other than through military action.
"The aim is to absorb Palestinian youth in Lebanon, which Hamas has been attracting since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (against Israel) was carried out on October 7. Many want to join its ranks, and Hamas has seen fit to welcome these young people within the framework of a popular structure,” he explained.
"This structure," he continued, "should help develop the personalities of these young people (...) with the aim of involving them in the project of fighting the occupation (...) in the interests of both the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples."
Ahmad Abdel Hadi also denied that Hamas had any intention of "controlling the Palestinian camps," although the group is suspected to have launched a full-scale attack against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah in the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Helweh last September. The fighting between Islamists and Fatah fighters lasted several days during which Islamist fighters, believed to be backed by Hamas, tried to take control of the camp.
Comments