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Qatar emir pledges $400m on landmark visit to Gaza Qatar emir calls for Palestinian unity on visit to Gaza
(about 1 hour later)
Qatar's emir has become the first head of state to visit the Gaza Strip since Hamas came to power there in 2007. Qatar's emir has called for Arab unity on the first visit to Gaza by a head of state since Hamas took power in 2007.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani crossed into Gaza by car from Egypt amid tight security, and was greeted by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani urged the Islamist group and rival Palestinian group Fatah, which controls the West Bank, to reconcile.
He has pledged $400m (£250m) for building in the strip, which has been ravaged by a long conflict with Israel. He pledged $400m (£250m) for building projects in the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by conflict with Israel.
Israel, which says Hamas is a terrorist group, said the emir's support for the Islamists "threw peace under a bus".
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said the trip had broken Israel's economic and political blockade of Gaza.
He said the visit showed Gaza was "not alone".
The Palestinian Authority expressed reservations about the emir's visit, after President Mahmoud Abbas phoned the sheikh earlier this week to emphasise he was the internationally recognised leader of the Palestinians.
Qatar has become one of Hamas' main benefactors since it fell out with Syria and relations cooled with Iran.Qatar has become one of Hamas' main benefactors since it fell out with Syria and relations cooled with Iran.
The Palestinian Authority expressed reservations about the emir's visit. 'Sit together, brothers'
A carpeted tent adorned with Qatari and Palestinian flags and pictures of the emir and Mr Haniyeh had been set up inside the Rafah border crossing for a ceremonial greeting. It was preceded by an honour guard ceremony at which the Qatari and Palestinian national anthems were played. The Qatari leader was given a hero's welcome as he entered Gaza by car via the Rafah Crossing from Egypt amid tight security, to be greeted and embraced by Mr Haniya before a guard of honour ceremony outside an elaborate desert-style tent.
The Hamas interior ministry said it had a "well-prepared plan" to protect the emir, deploying thousands of security personnel and blocking roads to Gaza City's stadium.
The emir had been due to address a major rally there - though only a few hundred people had gathered at the 40,000-seat venue. The event was cancelled due to what organisers called "emergency circumstances".
Earlier, the Israeli military said a soldier had been wounded by a bomb explosion along Israel's border fence with Gaza, near Kissufim.
Syria fall-out
The visit is a sign of the increasing ties between the Gulf state and Hamas, reports the BBC's Jon Donnison from Gaza.
Across Gaza, Hamas has put up the bunting for the emir's visit.Across Gaza, Hamas has put up the bunting for the emir's visit.
Maroon and white Qatari flags decorate lampposts and there are huge billboards bearing his face.Maroon and white Qatari flags decorate lampposts and there are huge billboards bearing his face.
At Gaza's Rafah crossing after arriving from Egypt in a vast motorcade, the emir was met by the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and given a red carpet reception. No head of state has made such a journey since Hamas came to power - and the Islamist movement wants to make political capital.At Gaza's Rafah crossing after arriving from Egypt in a vast motorcade, the emir was met by the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya and given a red carpet reception. No head of state has made such a journey since Hamas came to power - and the Islamist movement wants to make political capital.
Qatar has now pledged $400m for contstruction projects here. Hamas says for the first time Egypt will allow the building materials for the developments to be brought in overland, bypassing the Strip's smuggling tunnels which have flourished under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade. Qatar has now pledged $400m for construction projects here. Hamas says for the first time Egypt will allow the building materials for the developments to be brought in overland, bypassing the Strip's smuggling tunnels which have flourished under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade.
Since Hamas's fallout with the Syrian leadership, Qatar has become one of the movement's main benefactors. But Qatar is also one of America's key Arab allies. That has led some in Gaza to accuse the Gulf State of meddling in Palestinian politics.Since Hamas's fallout with the Syrian leadership, Qatar has become one of the movement's main benefactors. But Qatar is also one of America's key Arab allies. That has led some in Gaza to accuse the Gulf State of meddling in Palestinian politics.
"Your visit today officially announces the break of the economic blockade and political blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by the forces of injustice," said the Hamas prime minister.
For his part, the emir of Qatar used the landmark visit to call for warring Palestinian factions to unite.
"Why are you staying divided?" he asked an audience at Gaza's Islamic University. "There are no peace negotiations, and there is no clear strategy of resistance and liberation. Why shouldn't brothers sit together and reconcile?"
Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in 2006, ousted forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Abbas in Gaza during clashes in 2007 and set up a rival government.
In response, Israel tightened its blockade on the coastal territory, which has had a crippling effect on Gaza's economy.
The emir's speech had been scheduled to take place at a major rally in Gaza City's 40,000-seat football stadium, but that event was called off at the last minute amid reports the stadium was sparsely filled.
Hamas officials said the sheikh's busy schedule was responsible for the cancellation: During his four-hour visit, the emir launched housing and hospital projects and received an honorary degree.
Israeli officials seemed bemused by the visit.
"This is more than strange, especially since Hamas is internationally recognized as a terror group," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Yigal Palmor.
"By hugging Hamas publicly, the emir of Qatar has thrown peace under the bus."
Qatar, one of the richest countries in the Arab world, has become an important source of revenue for Hamas in the aftermath of its fallout with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Qatar, one of the richest countries in the Arab world, has become an important source of revenue for Hamas in the aftermath of its fallout with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In February, Hamas announced that its political leadership had been moved from Syria to Egypt and Qatar, because it could no longer effectively operate amid the unrest in Syria.In February, Hamas announced that its political leadership had been moved from Syria to Egypt and Qatar, because it could no longer effectively operate amid the unrest in Syria.
The political bureau of Hamas had been based in Damascus since 1999, and relations appeared to be good until anti-government protests erupted throughout Syria in March 2011.
Hamas initially neither publicly endorsed the Syrian government's handling of the uprising nor repudiated it.
Analysts said the Sunni Islamist movement was torn between risking the financial backing of Syria and its ally, Iran, and supporting Syria's majority Sunni community, which has borne the brunt of the crackdown by the Alawite-dominated security forces.
But in February, Mr Haniya declared his support for "the heroic people of Syria who are striving for freedom, democracy and reform".
Qatar, meanwhile, was the first Arab nation to call publicly for military intervention in Syria to topple the government.
It was the main Arab player in the Nato-led coalition in Libya and has played a major part in trying to resolve regional conflicts.
The country maintains cordial relations with both the US and Iran, and - even more unusually for an Arab state - with both Hamas and Israel.
Most recently, Qatar has been involved in the reconciliation process between Hamas and its long-time rival faction, Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and is in power in the West Bank.
Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in 2006, ousted forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza during clashes in 2007 and set up a rival government.
In response, Israel tightened its blockade on the coastal territory, which has had a crippling effect on Gaza's economy.
A spokesperson for Mr Abbas said the Palestinian Authority welcomed Qatar's efforts to help the people in Gaza but also stressed "the necessity to preserve the legitimate representation of the Palestinian people".
Mr Abbas called on Sheikh Hamad to "urge Hamas in Gaza to go for reconciliation and to end this split".