Hamas leaders differ in internal power-sharing: sources

 Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip and those outside the enclave recently put their dispute about the internal power-sharing in public, sources from the Islamic movement said Saturday.

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip wanted more representation in the Damascus-based politburo, the highest decision-making body of Hamas, the sources told Xinhua.

Mahmoud Zahar, a Gaza-based leader and politburo member, " provoked the dispute again to put pressure on the Damascus leadership which neglected the demands of the leaders at home," the sources said.

Khaled Mashaal, head of the politburo, said that Hamas will give a chance to Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to try to negotiate with Israel.

Zahar responded later that Mashaal's remarks did not express Hamas' point of view. Zahar continued defending his statements on other occasions, sparking more angry responses from exiled Hamas leaders.

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