Iran Supports Terrorists in West Bank

A spokesman with the US State Department told Bridges for Peace by e-mail that Iran feels it has an impact in the West Bank. “To the extent that these groups maintain a presence in the West Bank, Iran has or believes it has some influence there.”

In addition, Iran’s support to the terror groups is “significant,” particularly to the Islamic Jihad; however, it is not the same as Iran’s interactions with Hizbullah in Lebanon. Said the spokesman, “Iran’s relationship to Palestinian groups is not the same as its relationship to Hizbullah, nor do we assess that these groups are purely proxies for achieving Iranian goals; rather, Iran appears to be assisting the groups to achieve shared objectives.”

Iran has been accused of supporting the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Islamic Jihad in each of the Country Reports on Terrorism thus far, dating back to 2004. According to the 2007 report, “Iran is a principal supporter of groups that are implacably opposed to the Middle East Peace Process and continues to maintain a high-profile role in encouraging anti-Israel terrorist activity—rhetorically, operationally, and financially.”

By Joshua Spurlock BFP Israel Mosaic Radio