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How Afghanistan Influences Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Iran's Approach to Israel
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Kobi Michael and Dr. Yoel Guzansky - The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan shocked the West. The U.S. has long been viewed as the most bitter foe of fundamentalist Islamist movements and the most significant obstacle to them realizing their vision. Therefore, necessary and justified as it may have been, the disturbing images of the U.S. withdrawal are proving a tailwind in jihadists' sails. In this neighborhood, the Taliban has many allies and fans, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas. Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, had a well-covered public meeting with Taliban leaders in Qatar several weeks ago. The leaders of both groups sat in the first row of dignitaries at the swearing-in of Iran's new president Ibrahim Raisi. When the leader of the Taliban thanked Hamas and PIJ for their statements of congratulations on the Taliban's victory, he made a point of tying the success in Afghanistan to the Palestinian effort to eradicate Israel and establish a Palestinian state from the river to the sea. What Hamas sees as the Taliban's tenacity and sacrifice resulting in a glorious victory over the U.S. may well destabilize Hamas' sense of responsibility and care. A sense of self-confidence and euphoria could affect Hamas' conduct. The writers are senior research fellows at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) at Tel Aviv University.