Middle East Eye: Earlier this week, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted out a picture of him meeting with Hamas leaders in Istanbul. In the tweet, Mujahid said that he discussed issues of Afghanistan and Palestine, including the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque, with a delegation that included Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political chief. “The Taliban is trying to tap into the anti-imperialist and anti-western sentiment amongst [some] Muslims as a way to put pressure on other Muslim leaders,” Rahimi told Middle East Eye. Rahimi says Mujahid’s face-to-face meeting with Haniyeh is also important for its symbolism: “Being associated with the Palestinian cause, and gaining the endorsement and support of Palestinian leaders, could help improve the Taliban’s standing in the Muslim world.” Click here to read more (external link).