Iran: By eliminating terrorists, Israel committed 'war crimes'

FPI / November 13, 2019

Leaders of Iran, the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, and the terror organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad decried Israel’s targeted killings of high-profile terrorists, likening the policy to “war crimes.”

An Israeli targeted airstrike on Nov. 12 killed Islamic Jihad leader Baha Abu al-Ata, who the Israeli government said was responsible for recent terror attacks against the Jewish State and was plotting further attacks.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that the Israeli "aggression" will make the Palestinian people adhere even more to their basic principles, through the fight and through strengthening the alliance between the “resistance” organizations, Arutz Sheva reported.

Haniyeh added that the elimination of al-Ata is part of Israel's attempts to eliminate the Palestinian problem and a move designed to undermine efforts to bring unity in the Palestinian camp, the report said.

The Islamic Jihad on Nov. 12 threatened to expand the range of rockets fired at Israel to include Jerusalem in retaliation for the killing of al-Ata.

Related: Israeli airstrike kills Iran-backed Islamic Jihad commander, sparks rocket barrage, November 11, 2019

"We are ready for a long and painful battle. We will hit the Zionist enemy until they beg for a ceasefire. The gates to hell have been opened," a senior Islamic Jihad source told Israel Hayom.

Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, underlined in a statement quoted by Iran Front Page “the need to prosecute and punish the occupiers in international courts as war criminals.”

Mousavi praised the “legitimate struggles and heroic resistance of the Palestinian people” and said “unity and resistance is the only option for the Palestinian people to fight the usurpers.”

“Unfortunately, in light of support for this ruthless and child-killing regime, the crimes against and assassinations of Palestinian people and fighters have continued inside and outside the occupied territories,” Mousavi added.

Iran is one of the major sponsors of the Islamic Jihad. In 2016, Iran pledged to provide $70 million in annual assistance to the terror group's "jihad" against Israel.

Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhala earlier this year met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who told him that “resistance and fighting the usurper Zionist regime” is the only way for Palestinians to gain their rights.

Nakhala also met with Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who predicted that Palestinian Arabs will eventually “establish a government in Tel Aviv” and added, “Palestine will remain powerful and the Palestinian nation’s final victory will take place in near future with the grace of God.”

Free Press International