Haniyeh meets top political, social leaders in Cairo

Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo on Sunday and held talks with several Egyptian officials and political leaders. The Gaza prime minister met with a senior Egyptian intelligence officer in charge of Palestinian affairs, Nadir al-Asar, and senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Khayrat al-Shater, who was released from jail after the Egyptian revolution. The Gaza prime minister praised the strength of Egyptian-Palestinian relations in the meeting, a statement from Haniyeh's office said. Haniyeh also discussed ongoing Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the issue of Palestinian reconciliation. Director of the Center for Palestinian Studies in Cairo Ibrahim Darawi said Haniyeh would meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Mamdouh Muwafi on Monday morning, before meeting current prime minister Kamal Janzuri. He will also hold talks with Arab League general secretary Nabil al-Arabi and is scheduled to meet with foreign minister Muhammad Kamil Amr. The Gaza PM will also meet with Muslim Brotherhood chairman Muhammad Badie. The premier of the Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip is visiting Egypt for the first time since the coastal enclave came under siege. Haniyeh is scheduled to visit Sudan and a number of other countries, according to sources in Gaza. The tour could include Turkey, Qatar, Tunis, and Bahrain, the sources say. Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nouno said that the tour aims to garner support for implementing political reconciliation, as well as raising awareness about Israeli violations in Jerusalem.