Islamic Republic and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, in its two forms led by Ahmad Sa'adat and Ahmad Jibril, is the only Palestinian group that continues to support Bashar al-Assad alongside the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah. They openly display the flag of the Islamic Republic along with Hezbollah's and Syria's flags during their demonstrations. While Hamas and Islamic Jihad distanced themselves from the Islamic Republic's policy of supporting Bashar al-Assad following the onset of protests in Syria in 2011, it was only the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine that ignored the regime's bloody crackdown on the Syrian people and remained alongside Bashar al-Assad. Ahmad Jibril's faction even mobilized its forces to defend Bashar al-Assad and took up arms alongside Syrian soldiers against the opposition in Damascus. During 2011 and 2012, Iran's relations with Hamas reached their lowest point. However, after two decades of support for 'Islamic' Palestinian groups, a new approach toward the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, considered a leftist Palestinian group, was adopted by Iranian rulers. In recent months, following Israel's attack on Gaza, relations between the Islamic groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Republic have been restored, but Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran, has called for Palestinian movements beyond Gaza and the establishment of an 'Intifada' in the West Bank, where the two Islamic Palestinian groups have less influence. Consequently, the significance of the Popular Front, particularly the 'Abu Ali Mustafa' brigades, remains intact, as it is the only Palestinian group in the West Bank that 'listens to' the Islamic Republic. Recent interviews and discussions between members of the Popular Front's political bureau and affiliates with networks linked to the Islamic Republic, such as 'Al-Mayadeen', 'Al-Manar', and 'Al-Alam', indicate their new mobilization and Iran's extensive support for operational development in the West Bank, especially in Jerusalem, where Khamenei advised Palestinians to expand the 'scope of the war against Israel'. The Arabic website Al-Monitor reported on September 17, 2013, that the Islamic Republic, in coordination with Hezbollah, held a series of meetings with members of the Popular Front in Beirut, Damascus, and Tehran. The purpose of these meetings was to provide financial and logistical assistance to this Palestinian organization from the Islamic Republic to establish the necessary balance against Israel's military power in the West Bank. Since Hezbollah entered the Syrian war, the Islamic Republic lost a tool through which it could threaten northern Israel and create a balance of power against Israeli threats. After entering the Syrian war, Hezbollah could no longer serve as a deterrent for the Iranian Supreme Leader against Israel. Therefore, Ali Khamenei and the commanders of the IRGC have been actively seeking a replacement. They believe that if they can strengthen the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the West Bank, it will serve the same function as Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and can become a threat to Israel in the hands of the Supreme Leader. Additionally, the Popular Front's activities outside the agreements of the Palestine Liberation Organization could weaken Mahmoud Abbas and his supporting countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which is something the Islamic Republic desires. However, what the Islamic Republic has not accounted for, or does not consider significant, is that Hezbollah operated in an independent country, whereas the Popular Front conducts such actions against Israel in a country that has not yet achieved independence, making it easier for the Israeli army to occupy the operational areas of the Popular Front and shatter the Palestinians' hopes for an independent state. On the eve of the American attack on the 'Islamic State' group in Syria, members of the Popular Front beat the drum of defending 'resistance' and declared that in the event of an American assault on Bashar al-Assad, they would fight alongside the Damascus ruler. 'Abu Ahmad Fawad', a member of the Popular Front's political bureau and former head of its military section, stated in an interview with Al-Mayadeen television: 'If America attacks Bashar al-Assad, we will target the depth of Israel.' The Popular Front also announced that it is forming guerrilla units to liberate the Golan from Israeli occupation. This news was widely reported by Iranian-affiliated news networks such as Al-Manar and Al-Alam. The attack on a Jewish place of worship in Jerusalem, contrary to the propaganda launched by the Popular Front and subsequently the Islamic Republic regarding this incident, does not indicate that a significant security transformation has occurred. The attackers used light weapons such as handguns and daggers, and thus could not create a significant change as promised by the Popular Front, nor did they use medium weapons like Kalashnikovs. The victims of the incident were middle-aged and elderly individuals who lacked the ability to escape, making the incident resemble more of a street fight than a guerrilla operation backed by a political organization. Although the political exploitation of the incident was high, the Popular Front re-emerged in public discourse by identifying two attackers as members of this organization after years. Hamas and Islamic Jihad also supported this operation, and Hezbollah announced that the perpetrators of this incident are their allies in supporting Bashar al-Assad. However, both the Iranian and Syrian regimes remained officially silent regarding this incident. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was established in 1967 by George Habash and Mustafa Ziri. This organization saw itself in line with 'Arab nationalists', seeking new approaches for the liberation of Palestine by incorporating Leninist thoughts. Mao's revolutionary methods also inspired their struggles, aiming to activate them within Palestine. However, later they removed all Maoist teachings from their literature and only adhered to Leninist thoughts in the style of the Soviet Union. In 2000, George Habash, the traditional leader of this Palestinian organization, voluntarily handed over his position to Mustafa Ziri. However, this new leader was assassinated a year later, and Ahmad Sa'adat took his place. Ahmad Sa'adat, the current leader of the Popular Front, has been imprisoned for years. To commemorate Mustafa Ziri, brigades named 'Abu Ali Mustafa' were formed, and the two attackers in the recent operation in Jerusalem were members of these brigades. In the 1970s, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine resorted to hijacking operations, attacking airports, bombing embassies, and assassinating Israeli leaders. For this reason, this front, which has become the new ally of the Islamic Republic in Palestine, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and European countries. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has a significant split that occurred in 1969, led by Ahmad Jibril. This split, known as the 'General Command', is considered an ally of Bashar al-Assad and the Islamic Republic in confronting protests in Syria. Recent mediations by Hezbollah between the Iranian rulers and the Popular Front involve the main body of this Palestinian organization operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but Ahmad Jibril's faction and its collaboration with the Islamic Republic have a long-standing history and are not included in this mediation.