Netanyahu's Office Thanks Iranians Who Supported Israel on Quds Day

Following the support of a number of Iranians worldwide for Israel on social media, on a day when the Islamic Republic of Iran held its government-sanctioned "Quds Day" demonstrations to reiterate its anti-Israel policy, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office expressed gratitude to these Iranians. In a statement issued in Persian on Saturday evening, June 20, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office wrote, "We thank all Iranians who rejected the hateful slogans of the Islamic Republic today and expressed their affection and friendship towards Israel." Ofir Gendelman, the media spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, added, "The hatred of the mullah regime will never erase the long-standing friendship between the Jewish people and the Iranian people and the mutual respect between them." The hashtag #WeStandWithIsrael began trending on social media on the evening of Friday, June 18, as the Islamic Republic of Iran ramped up its propaganda efforts for the Quds Day demonstrations on the last Friday of Ramadan. According to Iranian officials, the Quds Day demonstrations were held in over 900 cities, featuring slogans such as "Death to Israel" and support for Palestinians and the "Axis of Resistance." The hashtag #WeStandWithIsrael has been active in various languages, including Persian and English, with some Iranians using it to emphasize that they do not oppose Israel; some praised Israel's achievements in various fields, alongside the democratic governance of the country. Arta Mirzaei wrote: "My Israeli friend, I do not hate you; I do not want war." Salman Sima, alongside a photo featuring the Lion and Sun flag of Iran and the Israeli flag, expressed hope that one day the Israeli flag could be raised alongside the "true" flag of Iran, with the caption "Free Gaza from Hamas." Arya Neshayi from Europe wrote in English: "Why do we stand with Israel? Because it is the only stable democracy in the Middle East; because they are a model; the only country in the region where people of all religions live peacefully together; the only country that treats all its people equally and fairly..." Recently, a video circulated on social media from Iran showing two children who did not want to step on a painted Israeli and American flag on the ground, opting for other ways to get past. Ahead of Quds Day, a campaign titled "No to Imam Khomeini Relief Committee" was active across Iran in protest against the committee's support for Palestinians in Gaza, with hundreds of Iranians posting videos of discarding and even breaking the committee's donation boxes. Last week, reports emerged regarding the activities of the Imam Relief Committee to assist 300,000 Palestinians in Gaza during Ramadan. The "No to Relief Committee" campaign drew reactions from Parviz Fattah, the head of the committee, Salman Khodadadi, a member of the Social Commission of Parliament, and Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad; although, according to ISNA, the Relief Committee collected financial donations during the Quds Day demonstrations, and demonstrators showed "widespread acceptance" of the committee's donation boxes. The number of demonstrators at this year's Quds Day protests also sparked reactions; numerous videos posted by people from Tehran and various parts of Iran on social media do not closely resemble the claims of officials and state-run media that asserted a "million-strong" presence at these protests. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not recognize the existence of Israel and has held Quds Day demonstrations since the establishment of this regime to emphasize the continuity of this policy and pursue support for the Palestinian resistance axis. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Twitter account, ahead of Quds Day, reposted a statement he made six years ago that "Israel is a cancerous tumor in West Asia that must be eradicated, and this is achievable." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the Iranian leader's tweet during their meeting last Monday in Berlin; the Israeli Prime Minister claimed that this tweet shows Iran "wants to destroy six million more Jews."