Iranian Supreme Leader: ‘Iran will back Palestinians in any way we can’

 

Khamenei criticized those who call Palestinian attackers “terrorists,” saying “We will defend the movement of the Palestinian people with all of our existence, and in any way and as long as we can.”

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Iran’s supreme leader said on Wednesday that Iran would support the Palestinian uprising against Israel “in any way we can,” and rejected assertions that the recent wave of Palestinian knifings and car-ramming attacks amounted to terrorism.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – Photo: AP

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, described the spate of attacks as “terrorism” that should be condemned.

Israel and the United States have long accused Iran of supplying arms to Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Iran claims it gives only moral, financial and humanitarian support.

“Despite all the efforts of the Arrogance [the United States] … and even with cooperation from Arab countries, the Palestinian intifada [uprising] has started in the West Bank,” Iranian state television quoted Khamenei as telling a gathering of the Basij, Iran’s volunteer militia, on Wednesday.

“We will defend the movement of the Palestinian people with all of our existence, and in any way and as long as we can,” Khamenei reportedly said.

Khamenei criticized those who call Palestinian attackers “terrorists,” saying the Palestinians are a people protesting the occupation of their land.

 

View original Israel Hayom publication at:
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=29965