Iran’s Pezeshkian promises ‘all-encompassing support’ for Palestinians
Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected to become Iran’s president in the next few weeks, has written to Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh to reassure the group that his administration will continue to support the Palestinian cause.
The moderate president-elect wrote in his letter he considers support for the Palestinian people and standing up to Israeli occupation and its system of apartheid a “human and Islamic duty”.
Pezeshkian promised he would “continue all-encompassing support for the wronged Palestinian people until the realisation of all their goals and rights, and the liberation of the honourable Quds”, referring to the Arabic name for Jerusalem.
“I am confident that in the shadow of the historic steadfastness of the resistant Palestinian nation and the wronged but strong Gaza and the heroic endeavours of Palestinian resistance fighters in the current war, victory and divine favour will be achieved by dear Palestine.”
Two days ago, Pezeshkian wrote to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promising support for the Lebanese armed group and other members of the “axis of resistance” that Tehran backs across the region.
Anti-Semitisim rising across Europe because of Gaza war
An EU rights watchdog says Europe’s Jewish community faces a “rising tide of anti-Semitism” because of the war on Gaza, “eroding” progress made in the fight against it.
“The spillover effect of the conflict in the Middle East is eroding hard fought-for progress” in tackling anti-Jewish hate, Fundamental Rights Agency Director Sirpa Rautio said.
“Jews are more frightened than ever before.”
Even before Israel’s war on Gaza, the agency found 96 percent of European Jews said they encountered anti-Semitism during the previous year.
Using information collected from 12 Jewish organisations in 2024, the report found that across Europe, 76 percent reported hiding their Jewish identity “at least occasionally” and 34 percent avoid Jewish events or sites “because they do not feel safe”.
In France, 74 percent of Jews said they felt the war affected their sense of security – the highest rate among the countries surveyed.
