Mashaal refuses Jordanian offer

The chairman of the political bureau in the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas) Khaled Mashaal has announced his rejection of an offer proposed by the Jordanian government to permit four expelled members of the movement, including Mashaal himself, to visit Jordan for ten days.

In a statement to the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am issued on Monday, Mashaal said that a visit of such a kind is not returning. "We consider it as an attempt to drop from us our citizenship and a perpetuation for the expulsion decision."

He added, "What we ask for is our right to return as citizens with our posts as leaders and then to open a dialogue with the Jordanian government so as to serve the interests of all."

Mashaal denied any intention from the side of the movement to transfer its offices to Baghdad. He stressed that there is continued Qatari mediation with the Jordanian government and hoped this mediation will reach positive results in order to settle the crisis.