militant leader

Khaled Meshal

خالد مشعل

Also known as: Abu al-Walid

Journeys

Khaled Meshal: Hamas in Damascus — Syria's Palestinian Card

The Syria-Hamas relationship illustrates the transactional nature of Assad's 'Axis of Resistance': it had nothing to do with shared ideology (the secular Ba'ath hosting the Islamist Hamas) and everything to do with mutual strategic benefit. When the civil war made that relationship a liability, both sides found ways to end it — though Hamas and Hezbollah have since rebuilt ties under Iranian pressure.

Biography

Khaled Meshal served as head of the Hamas Political Bureau from 1996 to 2017. From 1999 to 2012 Hamas's political leadership operated from Damascus under Syrian protection — a relationship that served Assad's regional positioning and gave Hamas financial support and a secure base. When Syria's civil war began and Assad began massacring Sunni civilians, Meshal faced an impossible position. He quietly relocated Hamas leadership from Damascus to Doha, Qatar in 2012, ending the Syria-Hamas strategic partnership that had lasted over a decade.

Documentation Status

VerificationConfirmed

Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1956-05-28

Place:Silwad, Ramallah, West Bank

Nationality:Palestinian