Saudi Arabia has played down the significance of a visit by Hamas leaders, saying it was only a religious pilgrimage and Riyadh’s position on the Palestinian Islamist movement was unchanged.

“There was no (political) visit by Hamas to the kingdom,” Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry.

The official Saudi Press Agency reported last Saturday on the rare Hamas visit, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

“A group from Hamas, including (politburo chief) Khaled Meshaal visited Mecca for Umrah. They performed the Eid prayers there and offered Eid greetings to the King,” Al Jubeir said.

“There were no meetings.”

Saudi Arabia is a strong supporter of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, and of Egypt’s government, both of which are at odds with the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip.

“The position of the kingdom towards Hamas has not changed, nor its positions concerning supporting the (Palestinian) Authority and Egypt’s efforts to preserve stability and security,” Al Jubeir said, referring to “some exaggeration” about the visit. - TradeArabia News Service