Politburo chief Khalid Meshaal Gaza – Mohammad Habib Chief of Hamas political bureau Khalid Meshaal announced his intention to not run for the same post in the upcoming Hamas leadership elections, which is due in a few months. A statement issued from Meshaal’s office said the exiled leader, based in Damascus, will not run for reelection, after 16 years in leadership, however will continue to serve the Palestinian movement. The statement came following earlier reports indicating such move.
Meshaal has indicated in recent weeks that Hamas should make a strategic departure from armed struggle to popular non-violent resistance in the wake of the Arab spring revolutions and the success of Islamist parties in elections in Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco.
The new approach caused a rift with the internal Gaza leadership, which said there would be no change in Hamas policy. "There has been no change concerning our mode of thinking towards the conflict," Mahmoud Zahar, the most senior Hamas figure inside Gaza, told the Guardian in an interview this month.
Meshaal's decision to step down may indicate that the Hamas leadership within Gaza has won a power struggle.
Meshaal had also been pushing for Palestinian reconciliation and the formation of a national unity government ahead of elections. However, he was reported to be frustrated with the slow and uncertain progress, and few observers believe elections will take place this year.
The Hamas leader was also looking for a new base for the organization amid the ongoing revolt in Syria. Hamas had refused to back the regime of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, infuriating the Iranian government, which had sponsored both it and the Syrian leadership.
The exiled leadership of Hamas now appears to be fragmenting geographically. Meshaal's family has reportedly moved to Amman, and his deputy, Mousa Abu Marzouk, has relocated to Cairo. The military operations leader, Emad al-Alami, has moved his family to Gaza, it has been reported. Many other officials have also left Damascus, ostensibly to move their families to safety.
Mousa Abu Marzouk is expected to be in contention to succeed Meshaal, although Ismail Haniyeh, the de facto prime minister of Gaza, could also stand for the political leadership.
Haniyeh's recent international tour, which included Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, in addition to an anticipated tour to Qatar, Bahrain, and Iran, intends to raise his profile among leaders in the region before elections, Italian news agency AKI reported, quoting Hamas sources.
Sources added that if Haniyeh wins the post, the movement’s central leadership will be fully shifted from the Syrian capital Damascus to inside Palestine.
However, current Hamas deputy politburo chief Mousa Abu Marzouq enjoys the support of several Hamas leaders, including Mahmoud Zahar.
 The elections are expected in mid-2012, it is worth mentioning however that Hamas internal elections are shrouded in secrecy, and only candidates living in exile are named.
The post is meant to be limited to two terms, although Meshaal's period at the helm was twice extended.