Khaled Mashal

Khaled Mashal , also known as Khaled Mashaal (b. 1956 ) is considered to be the leader of the Hamas organization, engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . He has been described alternately as the "political leader" of the group and the leader of Hamas' Syrian branch. He currently operates from Damascus, Syria . On September 25 , 1997 Mashal was the target of an assassination attempt carried out by the Israeli Mossad under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet. Ten Mossad agents carrying Canadian passports entered Jordan , where Mashal was living, and injected him with a toxic substance. At the time of the assassination attempt Mashal was considered Hamas' Jordanian branch chief. Jordanian authorities discovered the assassination attempt and arrested two Mossad agents who had engaged in the attempt. Jordan's King Husain then demanded that Benjamin Netanyahu turn over the poison antidote , and at first Netanyahu refused. As the incident began to grow in political significance, however, American President Bill Clinton intervened and forced Netanyahu to turn over the antidote. The incident would lead Clinton to say of Netanyahu that he "cannot deal with this man. He is impossible." [1] Jordanian authorities later released the Mossad agents in exchange for the release of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , the founder and "spiritual leader" of Hamas who was serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison. In August of 1999, probably in reaction to pressure from the Clinton Administration, Jordanian police issued an arrest warrant for Mashal in advance of a visit to the country by then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright [2] . In October of 2002 Mashal is believed to have met with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Riyadh . The outcome of that meeting is unknown. According to Haaretz , supposed Hamas documents discovered by Israeli security forces described the meeting as "excellent" [3] . Recently, Mashal has acted as a vocal critic of former Palestinian Authority President, Chairman Yasser Arafat , often refusing to follow directives issued by the PA regarding cease fires with Israel. Mashal is considered a key force behind this policy, along with the late Sheikh Ahmed Yassin . He attended the funeral of Yasser Arafat in Cairo, alongside the Saudi Royal family, in Cairo , Egypt , on November 12 2004 .

Khaled Mashal , also known as Khaled Mashaal , Khaled Meshaal , and Khalid Mish'al , ( ; born 1956) has been the main leader of Hamas —a Palestinian political, social, and terrorist organization—since the assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in 2004. In addition, Mashal heads the Syrian branch of the political bureau of Hamas . Mashal was born in Silwad , a village north of Ramallah and moved to Jordan in 1967. While attending Kuwait University , Mashal, as an Islamic student leader, challenged the dominance of Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization , participating in the foundation of the Islamic Haqq Bloc , which competed with Fatah for leadership of the General Union of Palestinian Students in Kuwait . After the founding of Hamas in 1987, Mashal came to lead the Kuwaiti branch of the organization. Mashal moved from Kuwait to Jordan in 1991.

Flag of Hamas, with the Shahada written on it. Khaled Mashal ( Khālid Mashʿal , Levantine Arabic : , born 28 May 1956) is a Palestinian political leader and the leader of the Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas since the Israeli assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in 2004. After the founding of Hamas in 1987, Mashal came to lead the Kuwaiti branch of the organization. He moved from Kuwait to Jordan in 1991. Since the expulsion of the Hamas leadership from Jordan in August 1999, Mashal lived in Qatar before moving to the Syrian capital of Damascus in 2001. He returned to Qatar in 2012 as a result of the Syrian civil war . Profile: Khaled Meshaal of Hamas .

Flag of Hamas, with the Shahada written on it. Khaled Mashal ( Khālid Mashʿal , Levantine Arabic : , born 28 May 1956) is a Palestinian political leader who became the head of the Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas after the Israeli killing of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in 2004. He stepped down as Hamas' politburo chief at the end of his term limit in 2017. After the founding of Hamas in 1987, Mashal was the leader of the Kuwaiti branch of the organization. He moved from Kuwait to Jordan in 1991. Following the expulsion of the Hamas leadership from Jordan in August 1999, Mashal lived in Qatar , before moving to the Syrian capital of Damascus in 2001. He returned to Qatar in 2012 as a result of the Syrian Civil War. Profile: Khaled Meshaal of Hamas .

Palestinian politician (born 1956) Flag of Hamas with the Shahada written on it Khaled Mashal ( , Levantine Arabic : , born 28 May 1956) is a former leader of the Palestinian organization Hamas . After the founding of Hamas in 1987, Mashal became the leader of the Kuwaiti branch of the organization. In 1992, he became a founding member of Hamas' politburo and its chairman. He became the recognized head of Hamas after Israel assassinated both Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in the spring of 2004. Under his leadership, Hamas stunned the world by winning a majority of the seats in the Palestinian legislative election in 2006. Mashal stepped down as Hamas' politburo chairman at the end of his term limit in 2017. The Six-Day War in 1967 forced Mashal's family to flee the West Bank and he has since then lived in other parts of the Arab world exile.

Palestinian politician (born 1956) Khaled Mashal ( Arabic : خالد مشعل , romanized : Khālid Mashʿal , Levantine Arabic: [ˈχæːled ˈmeʃʕæl] ; born 28 May 1956) is a Palestinian politician who served as the second chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from 1996 until May 2017, when he was succeeded by Ismail Haniyeh . He has been the acting leader of Hamas twice, from July 2024 until August 2024 and since October 2024 , after both leaders were assassinated by Israel . He is regarded as one of the most prominent leaders of Hamas since the death of Ahmed Yassin , alongside Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar . Mashal was born in Silwad in 1956. Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Six-Day War forced Mashal's family to flee Palestine. He has since lived in exile in other parts of the Arab world . After the founding of Hamas in the wake of the First Intifada against the Israeli occupation in 1987, Mashal became the leader of the Kuwaiti branch of the organization. In 1992, he became a founding member of Hamas' politburo and its chairman. He became the recognized head of Hamas after Israel assassinated both Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in the spring of 2004. Under his leadership, Hamas secured a surprise majority of the seats in the Palestinian legislative election in 2006. Mashal stepped down as Hamas' politburo chairman at the end of his term limit in 2017. Speculation swirls on who will take over Hamas from slain Sinwar" .