Damascus, SYRIA: Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is escorted by his bodyguards as he walks past journalists following his meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in Damascus late 20 January 2007. Abbas is in Syria for talks with Syrian leaders and Palestinian militants aimed at ending a deadly battle for power with the rival Hamas party. The moderate Abbas held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his trip and could also hold a highly-anti

Iran, Qatar recast regional 'resistance' alliance

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Damascus, SYRIA: Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is escorted by his bodyguards as he walks past journalists following his meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in Damascus late 20 January 2007. Abbas is in Syria for talks with Syrian leaders and Palestinian militants aimed at ending a deadly battle for power with the rival Hamas party. The moderate Abbas held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his trip and could also hold a highly-anti

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