Palestinian Leader Lauds Iran's Support, Blasts Certain Arab States for Normalizing Ties with Israel

Rasa - Sheikh Nafez Azzam, a senior member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's political bureau, praised Iran for its powerful support for Palestine, and lashed out at certain Arab states for attempts to normalize relations with Israel.

News ID: 435533

Date: 28 December 2017 - 00:00

RNA - "We are honored by the assistance that we receive from Iran and repeat it on every occasion. Iran has stood beside the Palestinian nation powerfully and remained steadily on its position to support the Palestinian people despite pressures and hard conditions it had in the past years. We appreciate the Iranian officials and nation for their extensive aid to the Palestinian people and resistance in the past and now," Azzam was quoted as saying by al-Kausar news channel on Wednesday.

He also condemned certain Arab states for their attempts to normalize ties with Israel and win the US friendship, and reminded them of the peace accord signed by Yasser Arafat with Israel which was later violated by the latter.

"This shows that Israel is not willing to make any concessions," Azzam said.

In relevant remarks earlier this month, Abdel Bari Atwan, the editor-in-chief of Rai al-Youm newspaper, said that Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital isolated Washington's Arab allies, specially Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and gave an upper hand to Iran and Turkey.

"Trump's gamble which was extensively welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Jewish lobby isolated the most important US Arab allies, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and enhanced the position of two non-Arab states, Iran and Turkey," Atwan wrote.

He also referred to the Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani's support for the Palestinian resistance movements, and said this means that Iran has turned into the strongest ally of Palestinians and Intifada at a time when most of its Arab rivals in the Persian Gulf region are busy with normalizing ties with Israel and collaborating with Trump for Judaization of the holy Quds.

Atwan underlined General Soleimani's victories in the region against the terrorists in Syria, confrontation against the US and Israeli plot to disintegrate Iraq and liberation of Mosul and other Iraqi cities with the help of Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraqi popular forces), and said Trump's decision opened way for General Soleimani's influence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"General Soleimani has not entered any war unless he has come out victorious," he reminded.

His remarks came after General Soleimani voiced Iran's full support for the Palestinian resistance movements.

He made the remarks during a telephone conversation with commanders of Hamas' military wing, Ezzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, who had been defending the blockaded Gaza Strip against Israel's acts of aggression, and the Islamic Jihad resistance movement.

The top Iranian general also urged all resistance movements in the region to boost their readiness to defend the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Abu Ahmed Fouad welcomed General Soleimani's support for the Palestinian resistance movements.

"Major General Soleimani is a skilled person and we welcome his statement," Fouad was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news channel.

He stressed that the resistance is not alone and enjoys great capabilities, adding, "One of the most important reasons for continued Intifada is existence of a united leadership in all (resistance) groups."

847/940