JUST ANOTHER POLITICAL PARTY:

Israel apparently has decided not to go head-to-head against an Egyptian regime headed by the radical Muslim Brotherhood and has congratulated it for its efforts to achieve freedom, democracy and economic development.

The leader of the Hamas political bureau held a rare meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan on Sunday in the latest sign that the Palestinian Islamist group is finding growing acceptance as a force in regional politics. [...]

Analysts said the visit to Amman was evidence of the new status accorded to Hamas, but also of Jordan's desire to strengthen ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, the pan-Arab Islamist movement closely allied with Hamas.

"Jordan has decided that it is time to restore its relationship with Hamas. It wants to show that it is taking an inclusive approach," said Oraib al-Rantawi, the director of the Amman-based Al-Quds Center for Political Studies.

The Jordanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition force in the kingdom, has formed an important part of a year-long popular campaign calling for economic and political reform in Jordan.

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