Hamas to name new leader, renew ‘resistance’ charter

The Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas says it is to name a new leader over the coming days.

Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Sunday that the results of internal elections will be announced “in the coming days.”

The French news agency AFP also cited a Hamas official as saying that the new leadership will be announced before May 15.

The official said Haniyeh was expected to be assigned to the movement’s leadership. If appointed to the post, he will be replacing two-time Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

Haniyeh became the Palestinian prime minister in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, which witnessed a landslide victory for Hamas.

Since then, the West has been refusing to deal with Hamas due to its refusal to recognize Israel.

President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas forced Haniyeh out of office in 2007 amid differences between Hamas and rival Fatah movement, after which the movement established its rule in the Gaza Strip.