RAMALLAH — Iran has opened its first liasion in the
Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian sources said Iran has financed the opening of the Supreme
Shi'ite Council in Palestine. The sources said this was the first Shi'ite
group to operate openly in the Palestinian territories.
The Ramallah-based center has been directed by Mohammed Gawanmeh, who
said his goal was to spread Iranian ideology throughout the West Bank and
Gaza Strip. Gawanmeh has been identified as a veteran of the
Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad, the most active insurgency group in the war
against Israel, Middle East Newsline reported.
"We want the Palestinian people exposed to Iranian heritage and Shi'ite
principles and bolster ties between the Islamic republic of Iran and the
Palestinian people," Gawanmeh said. "We are part of the Iranian Islamic
project in the Middle East."
[A leaflet signed by Al Qaida and distributed in the Gaza Strip asserted
that Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi would soon establish a presence in the PA. The
leaflet, signed by the so-called Jihad Army, also warned non-Muslims and
foreign embassies to leave the PA within a month.]
Gawanmeh said his group, with a claimed membership of several thousand,
would open offices in several cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He
said the expansion would require approval from Iran. The Shi'ite council
already has an office in Egypt.
The launch of the Shi'ite group comes in wake of the Hamas victory in
Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Iran has been a leading supporter
of Hamas and pledged to compensate the PA for any cutoff in
international funding.
"Now that Hamas was adopted by Iran, who announced huge financial
support to Hamas and the Palestinian people, and now that Hizbullah faces a
Zionist-American conspiracy to disarm," Gawanmeh said, "we decided that this
was the most suitable moment to declare the foundation of our council in
Palestine and to start acting publicly."
There are virtually no Shi'ite residents in the PA. The PA contains a
huge Sunni minority that until now has rejected Shi'ite teachings as
heretical.
In an interview with the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat daily, Gawanmeh
said the council would promote Iran's interest in the PA. He said the
council would not be involved in attacks against Israel.
"We want the council to be a gate for the Palestinian people to receive
the help of Iran and the Shi'ite world," Gawanmeh said. "We already have
large numbers of members and supporters."
