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Hamas leader to attend father’s funeral in Jordan | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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AMMAN, Jordan (AP) – A government official says Jordan will allow the Hamas leader to return to the country for his father’s funeral on Saturday, 10 years after it expelled him in a crackdown on Palestinian militants.

An official in Mashaal’s office in Syria confirmed he would attend the funeral in his first visit to Jordan since his expulsion.

Mashaal is the militant group’s top political leader. Jordan carried out its 1999 crackdown in response to pressure from the United States, Israel and the Palestinians. It shut down offices and expelled Mashaal and other leaders.

The Jordanian official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. He said Jordan’s king was allowing the visit on humanitarian grounds.