Not Universally Loved
We sometimes think that all Arabs and all Muslims are angry about the American hit on Iranian terror master Qassem Soleimani. That isn’t the case. But first let’s look at some of the official reaction from the terror groups within Israel.
According to a report from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, some of the reaction has been muted. Why? These despicable cowards, who have murdered Israelis and Americans, are no afraid of their foes in ways they were not on January 1. Or under the Obama Administration. Besides killing Soleimani, the missile strike took out Abu-Mahdi al-Huhandis, deputy commander of the pro Iranian terror group in Iraq.
(And let’s be clear as we discuss this: Soleimani’s death greatly benefits Israel.)
“Contrary to the reactions of senior Iranian officials and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who did not relate to Israeli as being involved in the attack, senior Hamas and PIJ figures accused Israel of collaborating with the United States in the killing. Some even accused Israel of direct responsibility for Soleimani’s death. However, Hamas and PIJ spokesmen were careful not to overtly threaten Israel. The London-based newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported that senior Hamas figures had made it clear to Egypt that they had not interest in an escalation in the Gaza Strip in the wake of the killing of Soleimani
“In the meantime, while Soleimani’s cortège left Baghdad, a mourning tent was erected in Gaza City. Pictures of Soleimani were hung, as were signs with pictures and mourning notices. The people who came to pay their respects walked on Israeli and American flags which had been laid on the ground at the entrance to the tent. The flags were later burned. Sources in the Gaza Strip stressed that the mourning tent had been erected in the name of all the organizations and not exclusively by Hamas and the PIJ.”
Hamas leaders like Isma’il Haniyeh gave a eulogy in Tehran, but we learned some things from the expressions of “grief” by the Arabs.
“On the other hand, in the Gaza Strip there were also expressions of joy at Soleimani’s death, although, in ITIC assessment, their scope and public importance were low. Some people even distributed pastries to passersby. A sign on a tray of pastries expressed joy at the death of the ‘criminal’ Qassem Soleimani, murderer of the (Palestinian) people in Syria and Iraq (Twitter account of Anwar Malik, January 4, 2020).
“A number of Gazans interviewed for the Egyptian TV station Safa said they were happy Qassem Soleimani was dead. They said he had been ‘the world’s number one criminal and terrorist’ and had killed many Sunni Muslims in Iraq and had destroyed Syria.”
Although it’s encouraging that not all Muslims in the region mourn Soleimani’s death, we must keep in mind that we are talking about a feud between Sunni Muslims and Shi’ite Muslims. Iran is primarily Shi’ite (and this branch is the definite minority throughout the Muslim world).
Remember, Soleimani and his bosses were responsible for numerous atrocities during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war. He also has had no qualms about killing fellow Muslims in the years since Obama’s green-light to Muslim terror groups to bedevil the Middle East.
We must hope and pray for the day when all Muslims in that region learn the truth and lay down their weapons.
In the meantime, Israel and others in the region are much better off now that the butcher Soleimani is dead.