Leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh visited Iran along with a large delegation, representing Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian political movements.
The delegation joined a massive rally of millions of Iranians who came to mourn the death of Iranian top military commander Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated in an American operation on January 3.
Zeynab #Soleimani addresses the crowds. It is not very usual in Iran for women to address the crowds in public, but more or less has the bravery of her father. #Qassem_Soleimani #Iran #US https://t.co/GXWYW1Ycj1
— Fereshteh Sadeghi فرشته صادقی (@fresh_sadegh) January 6, 2020
During his speech at Soleimani’s mass funeral in Tehran, Haniyeh said:
“We came from Palestine to offer our condolences to the honorable leader Sayyid (Ayatollah) Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic for the martyrdom of Commander Soleimani”.
??? #TEHRAN: Ismail Haniyeh, Chairman of the Palestinian Resistance #Hamas traveled #Iran to pay homage to martyred Qassem #Soleimani & Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis. Here he can be seen in house of #QassemSoleimani after his funeral in Tehran today. #قاسم_سليماني pic.twitter.com/7sL7ckjShO
— Haidar Akarar (@HaidarAkarar) January 6, 2020
Haniyeh, who was elected as Hamas leader in September 2016, recounted Soleimani’s contributions to the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, linking together Israel and US violence in the region.
“It’s the spirit of American criminality that has provided a cover for Israeli crimes in Palestine and outside Palestine,” Haniyeh said during a visit to the home of General Soleimani on Monday, reported Al Mayadeen news agency.
We are still in streets for General Soleimani's funeral. We will force US Government to cry. pic.twitter.com/Z8UXchZjCx
— mohammad ahmady (@mohamma18368019) January 6, 2020
The Hamas-Iranian ties have suffered in recent years, due to the fact that their positions sharply differed in Syria. However, the Palestinian movement and Iran have been attempting to remedy past disagreements.
“The resistance project on the land of Palestine in the face of the Zionist campaign will never break and will never weaken and will continue until the (Israeli) occupier is defeated,” Haniyeh said, affirming that “assassinations will only increase our determination to liberate Palestine and Jerusalem”.
Huge crowds in Iran for the funeral of military commander Qassem #Soleimani, killed by a U.S. drone strike, and his successor promised to drive U.S. forces out of the region in revenge https://t.co/2vLE3SQuTv pic.twitter.com/BdkEx22pj2
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 6, 2020
The head of the Hamas political bureau, Haniyeh, also declared that “The martyr commander Soleimani, who sacrificed for Palestine and her people is the martyr of Jerusalem”.
Haniyeh also insisted that the resistance in Gaza and Lebanon, in reference to the Lebanese group Hezbollah, are one and the same and that “they will win against the Zionist project”.
Another Hamas leader, Ismail Radwan, also repeated the same message conveyed by the Iranian government that “the proper response to the (American) crime is the removal of the Americans from the whole region.
“The message today is that Palestine is in Tehran and Tehran is in Palestine and neither are afraid of these crimes”.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in attendance at the funeral prayers of General Qassem Soleimani. The leader is in the third row directly behind Ayatollah Khaminei pic.twitter.com/V6ZE361X5t
— Islamic Resistance (@resistance_sa) January 6, 2020
Radwan also said that “the Zionist occupation is a full partner” in the assassination of General Solemaini.
“Palestine stands with Iran during this time of tragedy and this crime will not go unpunished,” Radwan told Al Mayadeen.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
