Palestinian resistance thankful for Iran support: Academic

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mkhaimar Abusada, a professor at the al-Azhar University from Gaza, to ask for his insight into the recent comments made by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on the Palestinian cause.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Give us your thought on comments made by Ayatollah Khamenei. He also stressed that the Palestinian cause is still alive after nearly six decades and despite passing of generations.

Abusada: Well, statements coming from the Iranian leadership represented by Ayatollah Khamenei, in which he reiterated the Iranian position to support the Palestinian people is just the reminder to the Palestinians, to the Arabs and Muslims that Iran has always stood behind the Palestinian people and Palestinian resistance.

Let me say that Iran has supported the Palestinians politically, financially and militarily.

And if we want to go back to Iranian support to the Palestinian people, it goes back to the beginning of the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, in which the Islamic Revolution closed the doors of Israeli embassy, which were in Tehran in 1979, and transferred it and made it to Palestinian embassy in that year.

And second, let me also say that Iran has supported the Palestinians all throughout the past years and when Hamas won the Palestinian elections.

In beginning of 2006, Iran pledged to give 750 million dollars to Hamas and Palestinian resistance to be able to stand against Israeli occupation, Israeli settlement expansion and other Israeli measures against the Palestinians.

So, there is no secret that Iran has stood behind the Palestinians, has supported Palestinian resistance in the face of Israeli illegal occupation and Israeli illegal settlement expansion.

Press TV: Ayatollah Khamenei also highlighted the recent escalation of tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories, calling it the Palestinian Intifada, and stating that it’s already begun in the occupied West Bank as Palestinians have always been fighting Israelis. Elaborate on that for us as well!  

Abusada: OK, that is also another important point was stated by Ayatollah Khamenei that the current Palestinian Intifada is the third of such intifadas, which has been launched by the Palestinian people.

Let me say that the first one was launched in December 1987, the second Palestinian Intifada was launched on September 28th of 2000, and the third which is the current Intifada started at the beginning of October last month. It’s on its eighth week now.

This Palestinian Intifada is directed toward ending the Israeli occupation, ending Israeli settlement expansion, ending also Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians.

And let me also say that without Iranian political, financial and military support the Palestinian resistance would have not been able to stand against Israeli occupation and Israeli aggressive measures.

The Palestinian resistance led by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad has always thanked Iran and Ayatollah Khamenei for the Iranian support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and Israeli aggression.

Now this current Intifada, the third Intifada, which is supported by many countries, Iran is definitely one of the main supporters of the current Intifada and the Palestinian people, is dedicated to putting an end to the Israeli occupation, ending the Israeli settlement expansion, and also going for Palestinian statehood.

And we hope that Iran will continue its support for the Palestinians in their struggle against the Israeli occupation and settlement expansion.

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