Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Supressor of the Damascenes...
, his one-time protector.
Syria welcomed Hamas in 1999 after Jordanian authorities expelled its leader in exile, Khaled Meshaal, accusing him of using the country for illicit activities.
Meshaal and Assad's relationship, built on enmity to Israel, fractured as Assad cracked down on opposition protests that grew into an armed uprising. Meshaal shut down Hamas's offices in Damascus
...The capital of Iran's Syrian satrapy...
in February and left the country.
"Syria embraced Meshaal like an orphan looking for shelter after other countries shut the door in his face," Syrian television said in a commentary broadcast on Monday evening.
"As long as you are in an emotional state regarding the suffering of the Syrian people, Meshaal, why did you not give the same due attention to the people of Paleostine ... in occupied territories?" TV said.