Hamas Chief Hails Soleimani at Tehran Funeral

Hamas chief Ismael Haniyeh on Monday attended a ceremony in Tehran for slain Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani, whom he praised for helping to establish and build up Palestinian terror groups. “[What Soleimani] provided to Palestine and the resistance has brought them to the position they are in today in terms of power and steadfastness,” Haniyeh was quoted by Israeli media as saying. “I affirm that the resistance project in Palestine to confront the Zionist project and resist the American domination project will not be broken, be weakened or hesitate … until it drives out the occupiers from our land and Jerusalem,” the Hamas boss reportedly added. Haniyeh’s speech at Soleimani’s commemoration is being construed as further evidence of the central role Tehran has played in arming Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, including the Islamic Jihad which only two months ago fired some 450 rockets at Israel over a 48-hour period.