Iran forges alliances with key Palestinian leaders in West Bank

Special to WorldTribune.com

RAMALLAH — Iran is said to have forged relationships with leading
members of the Fatah movement in the West Bank.

Officials said Iran and Hizbullah were seeking to co-opt members of the
Fatah leadership, particularly the Central Committee. They said the campaign
was meant to prod the ruling Palestinian movement into a diplomatic
relationship with Teheran.

Jibril Rajoub.
Jibril Rajoub.

“Iran sees an opportunity in the expanding divisions within Fatah and
the complete absence of a vision for the future,” an official said.

One of Iran’s new allies in the Fatah leadership was identified as
Jibril Rajoub, a former Palestinian Authority security chief and regarded
as one of the most powerful men in the West Bank. Iran reported that Rajoub recently met Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi.

“Fatah Central Committee deputy secretary, Jibril Rajoub, has called for
promotion of bilateral relations between Iran and the Palestinian Fatah
movement,” Iran’s official Irna news agency said.

In a report on May 1, Irna cited a statement by the Iranian embassy in
Beirut. The embassy told of a meeting between Rajoub and Iranian ambassador
Roknabadi, but did not say when or where this took place.

“The senior Fatah official hoped Palestinians would witness freedom of
their lands by continuous support being offered by Iran and other supporters
of Palestine as well,” Irna said.

Rajoub, who established the powerful Preventive Security Apparatus in
1994, has long been regarded as a supporter of cooperation with Israel and
the United States. Since his retirement from PSA in 2002, the 60-year-old
Rajoub served in prominent positions, including security adviser
to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and chairman of the Palestinian Olympic
Committee.

Officials said Rajoub, who did not confirm the Irna report, has been a
leading advocate of reconciliation between Fatah and the opposition Hamas
movement. Iran was deemed the main supplier of military equipment to Hamas.

For his part, Roknabadi, in the embassy statement on May 1, said Teheran
would continue to support the Palestinian war against Israel. The ambassador
did not cite Iranian plans to work with Fatah.

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