Iran Focus
London, 2 Aug – The Iranian Regime may have paid Temple Mount rioters in Jerusalem last month, according to reports in Israel Hayom.
Their article quoted an anonymous intelligence official in the Palestinian Authority as saying that Iran was supporting the protests against increased security at the site.
The source said that the Iranian Regime has provided “millions of shekels” to the protesters, even stirring up renewed animosity between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
He said that Iran had found a way to communicate with the Palestinians right under Israel’s nose.
Iran had even reportedly provided boxes of food and drink for the tens of thousands of protesters during the weeks of disturbances, which contained a flyer featuring an image of the Dome of the Rock and a quote from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
His message to the protesters? “With the help of Allah, Palestine will be freed. Jerusalem is ours.”
Iran’s support of terrorism
According to Hana Levi Julian, a Middle East news analyst for the Jewish Press, this is the latest way the Iran has found to insert itself into the ongoing conflict.
She wrote: “Up to this point, Iran has contented itself with providing money, equipment and training to its terrorist proxy groups: Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hamas, the latter having ruled Gaza since 2007.”
The Iranian Regime has even promised to reimburse Palestinian Authority families of terrorists in Judea and Samaria, whose homes were demolished by Israel as punishment for supporting terrorism.
This promise never came to fruition however, but not because the Regime decided not to support terrorists; Israel successfully blocked the channels that Iran was using to transfer the money.
Iran has clearly been trying to find a way to extend its influence over the Palestinian Authority for some time, and may now be paying them to oppose Israel.
This should not be mistaken for genuine support of the Palestinians, but instead should be seen as a fight against Israel in which Iran uses the Palestinians as pawns.
The Palestinian Government are wary of allowing Iran to operate in the territory because of the Regime’s support for terrorist groups.
Additionally, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas will at some point have to accept that talks with Israel must be gradually resumed in order to counter this threat from an outside nation who has already interfered in the Syrian conflict and extended that far beyond its natural span.
