Is Iran behind spread of Shiism in Gaza?
The people of the Gaza Strip fear Iran’s support for Hamas aims to spread Shiism in the Sunni-majority enclave.
The Gaza Strip's population has long been predominantly Sunni, with almost no presence of Shiism. But growing Iranian support for some small Palestinian groups in the enclave has led to a spread of Shiism among faction leaders.
This is the case with Harakat al-Sabireen (Movement of Those Who Endure With Patience). The Hamas government had banned Harakat al-Sabireen and its activities in Gaza in 2015 but failed to suspend its Iranian-backed charity, the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation.
In January, Palestinian protesters in Gaza chanted slogans and held banners glorifying the leader of the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi group, Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi, and late commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.
The protests caused shockwaves across Palestinian society and were denounced by a number of activists. Some described the protests as being staged in light of Iranian funding; others described them as aimed at promoting Shiism among Gazans.
