Meeting between Palestinian factions and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

Commenting on the meeting between Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Palestinian factions on Wednesday, a leading Palestinian figure told Al Mayadeen that Al-Assad was upbeat, clear, and firm regarding Syria's options in support of the resistance.

The Palestinian leader also stated that the Syrian President confirmed that "the past should be forgotten, once and for all, and we are to look toward the future."

He also disclosed that it was a Syrian decision to have the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad movement Ziad Al-Nakhalah heading the delegation of the Resistance factions for the second time since Seif Al-Quds battle.

“This decision by Syria may reflect the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Al-Nakhalah's importance [to Syria],” he stressed.

The Palestinian leader added that “[Hamas'] Al-Hayya surprised a number of Palestinian factions and Syrian officials with his speech at the press conference, most notably how strongly he criticized any opposition to resuming the relationship with Syria”, as well as his appreciation of President Al-Assad.

Laying the groundwork

The Palestinian leader revealed that the leadership of Iran's IRGC Quds Force, alongside Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, in addition to the official in charge of the Palestinian portfolio played a major role in making the meeting happen.

“Al-Quds force's leadership and the IRGC's Palestine representative played a great role in this development,” he said, adding that “Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah engineered the agreement with President Al-Assad to resume relations with Hamas on all levels”, he added.

The Palestinian leader noted that Hamas has gained a lot from this visit, stressing that the meeting was largely political in nature, but perhaps greater [than politics] in scope.

“President Al-Assad has proven himself to be a courageous, strong Arab leader, one who possesses exceptional strategic vision, and the greater victor,” he concluded.

In the same context, Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya told Al Mayadeen on Wednesday that “the brothers in Hezbollah and the IRGC played an important role in arranging this meeting and other preceding meetings”.

The Palestinian factions affirmed on Wednesday after meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus that resistance is the only way to restore rights.

President Bashar Al-Assad considered the unity of the Palestinian factions is the basis of the Palestinians' strength in confronting the [Israeli] occupation and restoring rights.”

It is noteworthy that the recent visit comes after non-public negotiations between Hamas and the Syrian leadership, mediated by Lebanese Hezbollah, which discussed the disagreements that led the movement to leave Damascus in 2012.

On September 15, Hamas announced in a statement that it would restore its relations with Syria, which "has been supporting the Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance factions for decades."