Iran Strengthens Ties To Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Iran has deepened its relationship with Islamic Jihad while maintaining good ties with Hamas, writes Abeer Ayyoub.
Out of all the Arab Spring's impacts, the war in Syria is by far the most dramatic. The conflict has reshuffled regional ties, and Palestinian-Syrian relations are among the most affected. Palestinian-Iranian relations have also come under pressure.
Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, Iran has been the main supporter of the Palestinian cause, and in particular of its two largest Islamic factions: Hamas and Islamic Jihad. As part of the alliance, Syria was also a major supporter of the two groups and, until recently, played host to the leadership of both groups.
Iran was a strong supporter of the Hamas government in Gaza and its military wing, until Hamas moved its leadership from Syria, split with Bashar al-Assad’s regime and became a vocal critic of the Syrian crackdown.
Hamas had waited more than a year until it made the difficult decision to leave Syria and sacrifice Iranian support. As an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood — which has been riding high since the Arab Spring — Hamas now has alternatives to Iran, and is moving out of isolation and towards international acceptance.
