Meshaal's visit to Turkey catches media off guard
Senior Turkish bureaucrats say Hamas is welcome in Turkey, but its activities are strictly monitored.
On Dec. 25, Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal arrived in Turkey on a visit that was not announced publicly. After receiving a tip, Al-Monitor spoke with two high-level Turkish bureaucrats on condition of anonymity about the meaning of this visit.
One official affiliated with the security apparatus in Turkey told Al-Monitor, “Meshaal arrived in Istanbul and traveled to Ankara the next day. It was not a secret visit, but there was no need to get publicity. However, when the president [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] meets with anyone, we cannot really assume it will remain secret.”
