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| By: Associated Press |
| Published: August 28, 2006 |
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Jordan said Monday it renewed the Jordanian passport of Hamas' Syrian-based political leader, despite strained relations with his militant group.
Government spokesman Nasser Judeh told reporters that Khaled Mashaal was entitled to passport renewal as a Jordanian citizen.
"Khaled Mashaal applied for an extension and his request was granted last week," Judeh said. He did not say how long the passport was extended for, but citizens are usually granted a five-year extension.
Judeh also declined to say if the move underlined a change in Jordan's position towards Mashaal or the Palestinian Hamas, which the kingdom accuses of having smuggled in weapons for use in attacks in the country.
In April, Jordanian authorities uncovered a large cache of arms, including Iranian-made Katyusha rockets and anti-tank missiles. Some 20 Hamas members were arrested in raids that followed the arms discovery.
In May, three Hamas members gave televised confessions, admitting they acted upon direct orders from unnamed Hamas leaders in the Syrian capital. One of the defendants said he stashed away weapons in Jordan and monitored a Jordanian intelligence officer, apparently for a possible attack.
Even before the arms discovery, relations with Hamas were strained.
Jordan, a longtime U.S. Arab ally and a peace partner with Israel, expelled Mashaal in 1999 citing alleged "illegal activities." He lives in exile in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel, heads the Palestinian government after an upset parliamentary election victory in January.
Jordan has called on Hamas to accept an Arab peace plan, which entails full recognition of Israel in exchange for full withdrawal from territory captured in the 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israeli wars. |
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