Haniyeh 'not succeeding al-Rantisi'

An official source in Hamas has denied a story by Israeli Haaretz newspaper, which alleges that the Hamas prime minister was to be the successor of the late Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi. Al-Rantisi led the Islamic movement in the Gaza Strip in 2004 after the targeted assassination of its founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. The source, mentioned in a press statement to the Filastin local newspaper, that there is a rift between the government and the party's movement, considering the recent frequent leaks as a move to try and draw the movement to declare its leadership. Haaretz stated in Wednesday's edition that Hamas conducted secret elections for the presidency of its political bureau, which resulted in the election of Haniyeh. It said that Haniyeh took over the position that remained vacant after the assassination of al-Rantisi in 2004.