Hamas Delegation Meets Party Leaders in Morocco

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with foreign reporters at al-Mat'haf hotel in Gaza City, June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/ Adel Hana)
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with foreign reporters at al-Mat'haf hotel in Gaza City, June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/ Adel Hana)
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Hamas Delegation Meets Party Leaders in Morocco

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with foreign reporters at al-Mat'haf hotel in Gaza City, June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/ Adel Hana)
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh attends a meeting with foreign reporters at al-Mat'haf hotel in Gaza City, June 20, 2019. (AP Photo/ Adel Hana)

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh met Thursday with party leaders, including the two main opposition Independence Party and the Authenticity and Modernity Party, on the second day of his visit to Morocco.

At his arrival in Rabat on Wednesday, Haniyeh attended a reception held by Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani in his capacity as leader of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), the biggest party in the governing coalition.

But unlike Wednesday’s meeting, which was held at the Prime Minister’s seat and had received major media coverage, the meetings of the Haniyeh-led Hamas delegation with political parties on Thursday were kept in the dark.

The Authenticity and Modernity Party had invited the media to cover Thursday’s meeting with Haniyeh at its offices in Rabat. However, it later withdrew the invitation saying both sides would hold talks privately, and that the meeting will take place where the Palestinian delegation is staying.

The Hamas delegation’s visit to Morocco aims to build support for the Palestinian cause after the North African nation improved diplomatic relations with Israel.

Last December, Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel.

On Wednesday, Othmani said the PJD’s invitation came six months ago, adding that the Kingdom of Morocco has repeatedly affirmed its support - King, government and people - for the struggle of the Palestinian people until their independent state is established with Jerusalem as its capital.

Haniyeh thanked Othmani for the invitation, stressing that it reflects the depth of the relationship between Morocco and Palestinians, as well as the people of both countries.



Israel Says it Killed a Hezbollah Member in Drone Strike in South Lebanon

A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
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Israel Says it Killed a Hezbollah Member in Drone Strike in South Lebanon

A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun, shows the destruction in Khiam on November 28, 2024, a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)

An Israeli drone strike hit a car in south Lebanon on Saturday, killing one person who the Israeli military said was a member of Hezbollah.

State-run National News Agency did not give further details about the strike in the village of Bourj el-Mlouk.

The airstrike was the latest in a wave of such attacks since a US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late November ending the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.

The Israeli military said the Hezbollah member who was killed was active in the border village of Kfar Kila.

The strike came a day after Lebanon’s military court sentenced two people to prison terms for giving digital information to Israel.

Four judicial officials told The Associated Press Saturday that one of those sentenced received a 15-year prison term while the other was sentenced to 10 years in jail. A third was set free for lack of evidence against him, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share information with the media.

The officials said the two scanned the cellular telephones network in wide areas of Beirut and its southern suburbs that is home to Hezbollah’s headquarters using sophisticated equipment.

The officials said the two, who were detained last year, also supplied Israel with about 1,500 photographs from Beirut’s southern suburbs.