Jordan closed down Hamas offices in 1999, forcing its personnel, including the current politburo chief Khalid Mishaal, to leave the country for Qatar.

Since then, the Hashemite Kingdom recognizes the Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas as the only representative of the Palestinian people.

Haniyeh, who initiated the contact, thanked the Jordanian leadership for its "support to the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and its firm defense of the Palestinians’ right of return” to their homes which they deserted upon Israel’s foundation in 1948.

"From his part, Bakhit emphasized Jordan’s attitude calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and congratulated Palestinian families over the release of their sons from Israeli jails”, Petra said.

Bakhit pledged that Amman would stick to the right of return of the Palestinian refugees in accordance with the UN resolutions as ”a basic right of the Jordanian state.”

According to the records of the UN Relief and Works Agency of the Palestine refugees (UNRWA), about 2 million Palestinian refugees currently live in nine camps inside Jordan and enjoy full Jordanian citizenship.

Under the UN General Assembly resolution 194 of 1948, Palestinian refugees are entitled to return to their homes in Israel and receive compensations.

The contact between Haniyeh and Bakhit coincided with local media reports that Mishaal prepared to pay his first official visit to Jordan in more than a decade next week.

The rapprochement between Jordan and Hamas is mediated by Qatar, whose heir apparent Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani would accompany Mishaal during his visit to Jordan, according to the report.