The Day Arafat Visited Iran

On February 18, 1979, six days after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Yasser Arafat, Chairman, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) arrived in Tehran on a sudden and unannounced visit. He was the first foreign guest who visited Iran to meet Imam Khomeini in Tehran. He congratulated him and the Iranian nation over the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Arafat was detested by the King Mohammad Reza Shah, a close ally of the Zionist occupying Israeli regime. Upon arrival from Damascus at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, he told reporters, “Iran and Imam Khomeini showed that our Umma (Muslims) will never give up. The Iranians broke the chains tied around the Palestinians. This great revolution of yours is the guarantee of our victory.”

"Your revolution was like an earthquake that sent shockwaves across the globe and trembled Israel and imperialism,” the PLO chairman also said in his interview at Mehrabad Airport.

According to media reports, when Arafat was asked whether the Palestinian movement felt “stronger” since the Iranian uprising, he replied, “Definitely, it has changed completely the whole strategy and policy in this area. It has been turned upside down.”

The oppressed Palestinian nation was just one of the many Muslim and non-Muslim nations that were inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The victory of the Islamic Revolution was a very important, decisive, and promising factor for the future of the Palestinians' struggle.

The victory of the Islamic Revolution brought lots of joy among Muslim Palestinians, especially in the occupied territories and among the people of Lebanon.

Palestinian fighters took to the streets of occupied cities and refugee camps across the occupied lands and fired salvos of celebratory gunfire into the sky to express their joy over the Islamic Revolution's victory.

The visit was a striking sign of the turn in Iran's foreign policy towards the Palestinian issue, the New York Times reported about the visit at the time. The Shah had maintained relations with the usurping Israeli regime and furnished the regime with about 60 percent of its oil needs, the Times report added.

The Pahlavi regime initially refused to recognize Israel but after the Shah tightened his grip on power, his regime established overt and covert ties with the occupying regime. An unofficial Israeli embassy was operating in Tehran for years to advance the interests of the Zionists in Iran.

Simultaneously with the visit of the Palestinian delegation in Tehran, a sign that read "Palestine Embassy" was installed at the top of the front door of that unofficially declared embassy building in downtown the capital in the presence of Arafat.

The embassy used to be like an espionage center. Israeli security experts helped in building the notorious Pahlavi regime’s secret police known as SAVAK. They contributed much to SAVAK's personnel training.  Israeli intelligence services and SAVAK were in close contact, oppressing the freedom-seeking movement in Iran before the revolution.

Israeli regime’s high-ranking officials repeatedly visited Iran to hold meetings with the Shah regime’s authorities, despite sparking anger among Muslim nations.

Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini reversed course in line with Muslim people’s demands and the country severed all diplomatic and trade ties with the usurping Israeli regime. Even before the revolution, many Iranians were in Lebanon to help the oppressed of the Shia community and the Palestinian refugees there who were under aggression by the Zionist regime in the south of the country.

In the meeting, Imam Khomeini stressed to Arafat that leftist Arab nationalism and reliance on foreign powers would not direct the Palestinian struggle toward victory. Instead, the Imam told Palestinians that only trusting in God Almighty and relying on the holy Quran and Islamic teachings would show the way forward to achieve the goal of liberation of the occupied Palestinian lands.

“The Shah too pinned hope on the support from America, the United Kingdom, China, Israel, etc. But their support was not too strong. Only support the God bestows is reliable,” Imam Khomeini further stressed.

Imam Khomeini further stressed that the Palestinian issue was an issue of the entire Islamic world, emphasizing the need for supporting Palestinians uprising as a religious duty that has to be shouldered by all Muslim nations, not only in their political struggle but also on the battlefield and armed struggle with the usurpers of holy Quds and their backers.

Nearly a decade after meeting with Imam Khomeini in 1988 amid indifference to the Palestinians suffering on the part of Arab rulers, Arafat, charmed by the infeasible two-state solution bid, gave in to pressures and began to negotiate with the Israeli regime, followed by signing the Oslo Accord in which the PLO acknowledged the State of Israel and pledged to reject armed struggle. But all this had a devastating impact on the struggle of Palestinians.

In the years following the Islamic Revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran helped different Muslim nations in the region to forge a powerful alliance of Resistance forces against the occupying regime.

Tehran also helped in globalizing the Palestinian nation. It was Imam Khomeini who named the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan the International Quds Day during which Muslims across the globe show their solidarity with the Palestinians.

Unlike Arab nationalism, which suffered humiliating defeats against the Israeli regime in both the 1967 and the 1973 wars, the Resistance came out victorious on many battlefields against the usurping regime and its Western backers.

The Resistance inspired by the Iranian revolution has now become a global movement and has found supporters among freedom seekers all around the globe, even among people in Western countries.

Today, Iran is proud of its assisting role in creating a powerful Resistance movement that has waged a successful battle against the most barbaric regime in history.

 Courtesy: Tehran Times

Arabs reject displacement of Gazans

Amid rising concerns over the potential forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the six-party Arab ministerial meeting in Cairo reaffirmed its categorical rejection of any such move and emphasized the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, reports Saudi Gazette.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministers reiterated their commitment to working with US President Donald Trump’s administration to achieve a two-state solution, stressing the importance of a sustainable ceasefire that ensures the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.

The meeting also underscored support for ongoing mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to ensure the phased execution of the ceasefire agreement and the eventual achievement of full de-escalation.

Ministers called for the removal of all obstacles hindering entry of humanitarian relief, shelter supplies, and essential materials needed for Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.

Additionally, the ministers rejected any attempts to limit the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stressing the urgent need for a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.

They urged the international community and the UN Security Council to uphold the two-state solution and dismissed any plans to divide the Gaza Strip, reiterating the necessity of an Israeli withdrawal.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Cairo discussions focused on ensuring the continuation of the ceasefire, strengthening the Palestinian Authority’s governance capabilities, facilitating the safe return of displaced residents to their homes, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

This high-level meeting came just days after President Trump proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, a suggestion that was swiftly rejected by both nations and met with opposition from various Arab and international actors.

The discussions also followed Israel’s recent decision to ban UNRWA operations in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem as of Thursday, a move that has been widely condemned as having "catastrophic consequences" for Palestinian refugees.

Attending the Cairo meeting were Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Also present were Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

 

China brokered Hamas-Fatah deal

According to Saudi Gazette, Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas and Fatah have signed an agreement on ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity in Beijing.

The announcement followed reconciliation talks hosted by China involving 14 Palestinian factions starting Sunday, according to China’s Foreign Ministry, which comes as Israel wages war against Hamas in Gaza and as Beijing has sought to present itself as a potential peace broker in the conflict.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement was “dedicated to the great reconciliation and unity of all 14 factions.”

“The core outcome is that the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people,” Wang said, adding that “an agreement has been reached on post-Gaza war governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government.”

It was unclear from Wang’s comments what role Hamas, which is not part of the PLO, would play in such an arrangement, or what the immediate impact of any deal would be. The talks were held as the future governance of Palestinian territories remains in question following Israel’s repeated vow to eradicate Hamas in response to the group’s October 07 terrorist attack on its territory.

The PLO is a coalition of parties that signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1993, and formed a new government in the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Fatah dominates both the PLO and the PA, the interim Palestinian government that was established in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after the 1993 agreement known as the Oslo Accords was signed. Hamas does not recognize Israel.

There is a long history of bitter enmity between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah. The two sides have tried – and failed – multiple times to reach an agreement to unite the two separate Palestinian territories under one governance structure, with a 2017 agreement quickly folding in violence.

The PA held administrative control over Gaza until 2007, after Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections in the occupied-territories and was expelled from the strip. Since then, Hamas has ruled Gaza and the PA governs parts of the West Bank.

At a press conference Tuesday in Beijing, Hamas delegation representative Mousa Abu Marzook said they had reached an agreement to complete a “course of reconciliation,” while also using the platform in Beijing to defend the group’s October 07 attack on Israel.

“We’re at a historic junction. Our people are rising up in their efforts to struggle,” Abu Marzook said, according to a translation provided by China’s Foreign Ministry, adding that the October 07 operation had “changed a lot, both in the international and regional landscape.”

Beijing has not explicitly condemned Hamas for its October 07 attack on Israel.

Tuesday’s agreement follows an earlier round of talks between Hamas and Fatah hosted by Beijing in April.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, China – which has looked to bolster its influence and ties in the Middle East in recent years – has presented itself as a leading voice of the countries across the Global South decrying Israel’s war in the enclave and calling for Palestinian statehood.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May called for an international peace conference during meetings with leaders from Arab nations and has also dispatched a special envoy to the Middle East to meet with diplomats and officials.

Observers have questioned the extent of Beijing’s geopolitical clout in a region where the US has long been a dominant power, but China surprised many last March when it played a role in brokering a rapprochement between longtime rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Those efforts have been broadly seen as part of Beijing’s push to position itself as a geopolitical heavyweight with a different vision for the world from the United States.

Tuesday’s agreement was also inked as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the US for a highly anticipated visit in which he will meet top US officials and address Congress.

Israel launched its military operations in Gaza following Hamas’ October 07 attack that killed more than 1,100 people and saw roughly 250 others kidnapped. Around 39,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, which has triggered a mass humanitarian crisis and widespread destruction.

Hamas and Fatah had signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo in October 2017 under pressure from the Arab states, led by Egypt. Under the deal, a new unity government was supposed to take administrative control of Gaza two months later, ending a decade of rivalry that began when Hamas violently evicted the Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007.

But the deal’s lofty aspirations quickly collapsed. When Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza in March 2018, he was the target of an assassination attempt when a bomb detonated near his convoy. Hamdallah’s Fatah party immediately blamed Hamas for the attack.

Hamas and Fatah sign agreement in Beijing ‘ending’ their division, China says

According to Saudi Gazette, Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas and Fatah have signed an agreement on ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity in Beijing.

The announcement followed reconciliation talks hosted by China involving 14 Palestinian factions starting Sunday, according to China’s Foreign Ministry, which comes as Israel wages war against Hamas in Gaza and as Beijing has sought to present itself as a potential peace broker in the conflict.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement was “dedicated to the great reconciliation and unity of all 14 factions.”

“The core outcome is that the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people,” Wang said, adding that “an agreement has been reached on post-Gaza war governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government.”

It was unclear from Wang’s comments what role Hamas, which is not part of the PLO, would play in such an arrangement, or what the immediate impact of any deal would be. The talks were held as the future governance of Palestinian territories remains in question following Israel’s repeated vow to eradicate Hamas in response to the group’s October 07 terrorist attack on its territory.

The PLO is a coalition of parties that signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1993, and formed a new government in the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Fatah dominates both the PLO and the PA, the interim Palestinian government that was established in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after the 1993 agreement known as the Oslo Accords was signed. Hamas does not recognize Israel.

There is a long history of bitter enmity between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah. The two sides have tried – and failed – multiple times to reach an agreement to unite the two separate Palestinian territories under one governance structure, with a 2017 agreement quickly folding in violence.

The PA held administrative control over Gaza until 2007, after Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections in the occupied-territories and was expelled from the strip. Since then, Hamas has ruled Gaza and the PA governs parts of the West Bank.

At a press conference Tuesday in Beijing, Hamas delegation representative Mousa Abu Marzook said they had reached an agreement to complete a “course of reconciliation,” while also using the platform in Beijing to defend the group’s October 07 attack on Israel.

“We’re at a historic junction. Our people are rising up in their efforts to struggle,” Abu Marzook said, according to a translation provided by China’s Foreign Ministry, adding that the October 07 operation had “changed a lot, both in the international and regional landscape.”

Beijing has not explicitly condemned Hamas for its October 07 attack on Israel.

Tuesday’s agreement follows an earlier round of talks between Hamas and Fatah hosted by Beijing in April.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, China – which has looked to bolster its influence and ties in the Middle East in recent years – has presented itself as a leading voice of the countries across the Global South decrying Israel’s war in the enclave and calling for Palestinian statehood.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May called for an international peace conference during meetings with leaders from Arab nations and has also dispatched a special envoy to the Middle East to meet with diplomats and officials.

Observers have questioned the extent of Beijing’s geopolitical clout in a region where the US has long been a dominant power, but China surprised many last March when it played a role in brokering a rapprochement between longtime rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Those efforts have been broadly seen as part of Beijing’s push to position itself as a geopolitical heavyweight with a different vision for the world from the United States.

Tuesday’s agreement was also inked as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the US for a highly anticipated visit in which he will meet top US officials and address Congress.

Israel launched its military operations in Gaza following Hamas’ October 07 attack that killed more than 1,100 people and saw roughly 250 others kidnapped. Around 39,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, which has triggered a mass humanitarian crisis and widespread destruction.

Hamas and Fatah had signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo in October 2017 under pressure from the Arab states, led by Egypt. Under the deal, a new unity government was supposed to take administrative control of Gaza two months later, ending a decade of rivalry that began when Hamas violently evicted the Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007.

But the deal’s lofty aspirations quickly collapsed. When Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza in March 2018, he was the target of an assassination attempt when a bomb detonated near his convoy. Hamdallah’s Fatah party immediately blamed Hamas for the attack.

Palestinian groups reject appointment of Abbas loyalists

Three Palestinian groups – Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) have rejected the appointment of loyalists of Palestinian Authority (PA) President, Mahmoud Abbas to senior positions in the PLO.

“No recognition of, and no legitimacy to, the appointments announced by the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) during its illegitimate meeting on Sunday and Monday,” the groups said in a joint statement.

The 142-member PCC – a key decision-making body of the PLO – consists of various PLO factions, including the PFLP. Hamas and PIJ are not part of the PLO or any of its bodies.

During the session in Ramallah earlier, the council approved the appointment of Abbas associates Hussein al-Sheikh, Rouhi Fattouh, Mohammed Mustafa and Ramzi Khoury to fill vacancies in the PLO Executive Committee and its parliament in exile, the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

Abbas’s critics said that he convened the council to promote his loyalists, especially Sheikh, and consolidate his power over the Palestinian leadership.

Sheikh, 62, head of the Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs, is regarded as one of Abbas’s most trusted aides. Some Palestinians are convinced that the 86-year-old Abbas is grooming him as his successor.

Sheikh was elected to replace Saeb Erekat, who served as Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee and chief Palestinian negotiator until his death in 2020.

Fattouh, another longtime Abbas associate, was chosen as speaker of the PNC, replacing Salim Zanoun, who retired after 30 years on the job.

Mustafa and Khoury, who are also closely associated with Abbas, were picked by the PCC members to serve as members of the PLO Executive Committee, the organization’s most important decision-making body.

The promotion of the Abbas loyalists is seen by some Palestinians as an attempt by the PA president to determine the identity of the future leaders of the Palestinians.

The appointments, in addition, send a message to the Palestinians, Israel and the US that their next leaders will continue with the same policies of Abbas.

The rare joint statement by Hamas, PIJ and the PFLP said that the appointments “do not represent our people, and constitute a breach of the national consensus and a suppression of the will of the Palestinian people.”

The groups called on the Palestinian leadership to immediately cancel the appointments and end its hegemony over Palestinian institutions. They further called for the establishment of a transitional PNC that would pave the way for holding general elections.

The parliamentary and presidential elections were supposed to take place in May and July. Abbas, however, called off the elections on the pretext that Israel had refused to allow them to take place in Jerusalem. Abbas’s political rivals have rejected the claim, saying he canceled the vote over fear that his fragmented and corruption-riddled Fatah faction would lose.

Hamas, PIJ and PFLP said in their statement that there will be no return to the Oslo track, referring to the 1993 accords signed between the PLO and Israel. The groups stressed that the only way to deal with Israel was through resistance, and called for the formation of a national unified command of the popular resistance to act against IDF soldiers and settlers.

The PCC issued a final communiqué on Wednesday night saying that it has decided to end security coordination between PA security forces and the IDF, and suspend Palestinian recognition of Israel. The statement, issued a day after the IDF killed three Fatah gunmen in Nablus, is seen as an attempt by the PA leadership to placate the Palestinian public.

A similar statement issued by the council in 2018 was completely ignored by the PA leadership.

The three men killed were responsible for a series of shooting attacks on soldiers and settlers in the Nablus area in the past few weeks. Their killing sparked widespread anger among many Palestinians, some of whom claimed that this was the direct result of the security coordination with Israel.

The slain gunmen belonged to Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Some of their friends in Nablus accused the PA of helping Israel track them down, noting that two of them had been previously harassed and threatened by the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

The PCC decision to end security coordination and suspend Palestinian recognition of Israel has not been taken seriously by many Palestinians, including members of Abbas’s ruling Fatah faction.

“I thought I was reading the same statement that the council issued in 2018,” said a senior Fatah official in Ramallah. “Whoever issued the statement on Wednesday must think that the Palestinians are stupid. Everyone knows that decisions like these are just intended for international consumption and are never implemented.”

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem played down the significance of the PCC statement, saying its decisions will remain ink on paper. The council meeting, he said, did not represent the aspirations of the Palestinians.