Left: Iran sends fighters to Syria, using cover from Russia’s air campaign (CBS News, Oct. 14, 2015)
Palestinian attacks against Israelis/Jews are stoked by radical Sunni and Shia Muslims alike. Both ISIS and Iran target their propaganda campaign at the radical Palestinian groups Hamas and Palestinian JIhad, while calling on all Muslims to join the fighting.
On October 24th, Fars News repeated the Palestinian leadership’s allegations about “Israeli forces sealing off Palestinian neighborhoods imposing more severe sentencing guidelines for people accused of stone-throwing; and using excessive force — including live fire — against peaceful crowds of protesters.” To justify these abuses, Fars claimed “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to incite further violence by falsely claiming that Haj Amin al-Husseini, the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, persuaded Hitler to exterminate the Jews!”
Iran, which has for years supported both Hamas and the PIJ, held a conference in Tehran on October 13, 2015, “in support of the Palestinian struggle in Jerusalem.” Hamas’ representative in Tehran Khaled Qadoumi, PIJ representative in Tehran, Naser Abu-Sharim, and the secretary general of the “committee to Support Intifada and Jerusalem” and advisor to the Majlis (Iranian parliament) chairman in international affairs Hossein Sheikh ol-Islam, attended the meeting.
In discussion on the recent escalation in Jerusalem Sheikh ol-Islam stated the “current intifada” was a golden opportunity to restore the issue of Palestine to the top of the Muslim world’s agenda. He quoted Ayatollah Khomeini’s declaration: “the fate of Islam will be decided in Palestine” (Fars News Agency, October 13, 2015).
In addition to its involvement with the Palestinians, Spotlight on Iran documented Tehran’s growing intervention in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and the Gulf States.
Overview:
Iran has “ increased its forces in Syria to support the Syrian army and Hezbollah fighters in the ground offensive in the northwestern part of the country. Qasem Soleimani, commander to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Qods Force went to Syria to oversee the deployment of the Iranian forces and foreign fighters operating under the aegis of the IRGC.
Iran’s involvement in the ground offensive in northwest Syria has taken a heavy toll of the IRGC. At least five of its officers and nine of its other fighters have been killed in Syria since October 8, 2015.
New information has been revealed about the coordination between Iran, Russia and Syria before the Russian attack was launched in Syria.
A conference in support of the Palestinian struggle in Jerusalem was held in Tehran, attended by representatives of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Another delegation of Shi’ite Houthi rebels in Yemen arrived in Tehran for meetings with senior Iranian officials.”
Read the full report here.