Hamas Gaza chief heads for Qatar

Leader of the Hamas government in Gaza Ismail Haneya is heading for Qatar Thursday in his first foreign visit since being elected as deputy chief of the Islamic movement's politburo earlier this month.Taher Al-Nounou, spokesperson of the government, said Haneya will discuss with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Gaza's reconstruction, for which Doha has pledged more than 400 million U.S. dollars in funding projects.Meanwhile, a Hamas source said Haneya will participate in the first meeting of the newly-elected politburo in Doha, where Hamas supreme leader Khaled Meshaal moved to after abandoning his long- time base in Syria.He added the meeting will assign tasks to new members of the politburo and discuss ways to resolve the financial crisis troubling the militant group, which took control of Gaza in 2007.Also, Al-Nounou said Haneya and Al Thani will talk about holding a mini-summit on reconciling Hamas with Fatah, the party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.Al Thani made the initiative at the Arab League's annual summit in Doha last month.Fatah, however, voiced concerns over Hamas' participation in such a mini-summit, stressing the right to represent the Palestinians is only enjoyed by the Palestinian Liberation Organization.