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Meir Javedanfar

Iran keeps silent on the killing of Palestinians in Syria

Why won't Tehran provide weapons to Palestinians in Syria who are under attack from Assad’s forces?

In his 26th of November article for Al Monitor, former spokesman for Iran’s nuclear negotiators, Seyed Hossein Mousavian, provides a number of reasons as to why he believes that Iran and Hamas were the winners in the recent eight day Gaza conflict.

One notable reason why he believes that Iran shone during the fighting was its role in aiding Palestinians:

Yet, when it came to the latest Israeli aggression in Gaza incursions – or for that matter past incursions – Arab leaders have provided only rhetoric with no tangible actions. Ali Larijani voiced Iran’s discontent with Arab nations who are reluctant to help Palestinians beyond words, stating: “The Palestinian nation does not need speeches and meetings. Arab countries should send military aid.

Mr Mousavian sees it as an Iranian victory that instead of “empty Arab rhetoric,” in the recent Gaza conflict, Iran showed action. It did this by providing weapons to Hamas and Islamic Jihad because it cares for the defense of the Palestinian people.

In that case, why has Iran not said a word about the recent attacks against Palestinian refugee camps by the air force of its ally Bashar Al Assad?

Aren’t the Palestinians living in the Yarmulk refugee camp Palestinians like Gazans are?

The Syrian regime attacks against Palestinian refugee camps have been described by UN Secretary General Moon as war crimes.

Based on the Iranian government’s claims that it wants to help Palestinians defend themselves, will the Iranian regime provide weapons to Palestinians in Syria who are under attack from Assad’s forces?

Or are Palestinians victims only when Iran’s adversaries attack them, and not when Iran’s allies do the same?

The Middle East – and the Muslim world in particular – is watching Iran’s actions in Syria very closely.

About the Author
Meir Javedanfar is an Iranian-Israeli lecturer, author, and commentator. He has been teaching Iranian politics at Reichman University in Israel since 2012 and is Anti-Defamation League’s Iran consultant.