(IranWire-Daily Beast) Ladan Salami - Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force who is known as the point man for Iran's military and covert operations outside its borders, publicly pledged support for Palestinian fighters on July 30. Then he named five specific groups. The Qassam Brigades are the military wing of Hamas. The Al-Quds Brigades are the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Nasser Salahuddin Brigades are a breakaway faction from Fatah that refused to accept the Oslo Peace Agreement. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades are the official military wing of Fatah. The Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades are the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). By spreading support across the different groups, Iran's leaders may hope to incite a continued war of attrition against Israel. Indeed, several reports suggest that the latest Gaza war did not begin with Hamas, but with other groups firing rockets until Israel retaliated and Hamas was forced to join in.
2014-08-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive