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Iranian leader urges Palestinans to follow Hizbullah's lead

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, June 5, 2000

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Palestinians to continue their resistance against Israel.

Khamenei urged Palestinians to follow in the footsteps of Hizbullah, which ousted Israel from southern Lebanon.

"It is possible that in several years time parts of occupied Palestine, and ultimately all of occupied Palestine, will be returned to the Palestinian people," Khamenei said in Teheran at a mass rally, Saturday, to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of the Islamic republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. "Today, there are some who see this as unlikely, but yesterday there were some who deemed the Lebanese phenomenon unlikely, even impossible. Yet, it happened."

Khamenei accused Palestinian Authority leaders of being "agents of America and Israel." He said Palestinians should support Islamic militants.

"If the Palestinians rely on the youth who have faith, their movement will achieve victory," Khamenei said. "What has come to pass in Lebanon will come to pass in Palestine provided that the people of Palestine keep the faith and are motivated. Twenty-two years ago, Israel went into Lebanon to stay. This usurper finally had to retreat. This will happen one day in Palestine. This is a Koranic reality, much like what happened in Iran with the Islamic revolution, and today in southern Lebanon."

Hundreds of thousands of mourners at Khomeini's grave jeered "Death to America" and "Death to Israel," as Khamenei spoke.

Khamenei also called for a "reconciliation" of Iran's political parties, following February's parliamentary election that resulted in a parliament with a reformist majority.

Monday, June 5, 2000


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