Who is Khaled Meshaal?
Khaled Meshaal gained global attention in 1997 after surviving an assassination attempt by Israeli agents, who injected him with poison outside his office in Amman, Jordan. The incident, ordered by then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sparked outrage from Jordan’s King Hussein, who threatened to cancel Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel unless the antidote was provided. This episode elevated Meshaal to hero status within the Palestinian resistance.
Meshaal’s Role in Hamas
Meshaal, 68, has been a central figure in Hamas since the late 1990s. He first became the political leader in exile in 1996, a role that enabled him to represent the group internationally without the travel restrictions imposed on other Hamas officials based in Gaza. After the assassination of Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel-Aziz Al-Rantissi in 2004, Meshaal assumed overall leadership of the organization.
He has spent most of his life outside the Palestinian territories, living in Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, and now dividing his time between Doha and Cairo. His leadership tenure saw internal friction, particularly regarding reconciliation efforts with the Palestinian Authority and differences with the Gaza-based leadership.
Meshaal’s Position on Israel
Meshaal rejects a permanent peace agreement with Israel, consistent with Hamas’ 1988 charter, which calls for Israel’s destruction. However, he has indicated that Hamas could accept a temporary Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in exchange for a long-term ceasefire.
Meshaal recently commented on the October 7 Hamas attack, claiming it brought the Palestinian cause back to global attention. He called for Arabs and Muslims to join the fight against Israel and asserted that Palestinians alone would determine Gaza’s post-war governance, despite efforts by Israel and the United States to exclude Hamas from future political arrangements.While Meshaal has long held a significant leadership role, his position weakened after he left Syria in 2012 during the country’s civil war. His departure affected Hamas’ ties with Iran and Syria, shifting some power back to Gaza-based leaders. Despite this, he remains an influential figure, now leading Hamas’ office for the Palestinian diaspora since 2021.Meshaal’s reported new role as acting head of Hamas comes at a critical time, with the organization facing both internal challenges and heightened conflict with Israel.
