In Response To IDF Operation In Jenin, Iran-Backed Militias In Iraq Limit Themselves To Condemnation Of Israel; Militia Supporters Protest That What Jenin Needs Is Attacks Against U.S. Forces In Iraq

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During the night of July 3, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a military operation against members of Palestinian terrorist organizations, primarily the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), in the Jenin refugee camp in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. Despite the repeated promises of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq to support the Palestinian factions in every way, including by supplying weapons and manpower, this time as well they made do with statements of condemnation of Israel’s actions, and expressions of support for the Palestinians. Some militia supporters on Telegram were critical of the conduct of the militias and used the opportunity to urge them to renew their attacks against the American forces in Iraq, claiming that an attack on the U.S. is the same as an attack on Israel. This criticism followed statements from the major militias supported by Iran, which contended that there is currently a de facto ceasefire in place, even if it is temporary, with the American forces in Iraq. These statements sparked criticism among some supporters of the Iran-backed militias, some of whom viewed them as a betrayal.[1]

The following is a review of the responses of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq to the IDF operation in Jenin:

Al-Nujaba Movement – The Palestinians Should Be Supported By Declarations Or Bullets

It appears that the Al-Nujaba Movement was the first of the Iran-backed Shi’ite militias in Iraq to respond to the Israeli operation. On July 3, 2023, at about 19:00 in Iraq, Nasr Al-Shammari, the deputy secretary-general and spokesman for Al-Nujaba, tweeted that, “What is taking place in Jenin and in the other occupied Palestinian territories demonstrates the courage and strength of the jihadi fighters of the sons of beloved Palestine who are steadfast.” Al-Shammari was critical of what he referred to as the silence on the part of the Islamic and Arab nation in light of what he describes as the attack on the lives of the Palestinians and the holy places to Islam and asserted, “It is the obligation of everyone who believes that he has the ability to do something – whether by taking a stand, [uttering] a word or [firing] a bullet to prepare, before Allah holds him responsible.”[2]

It is noteworthy that on June 26, 2023, a few days before the start of the IDF operation in Jenin, in the city of Karbala in central Iraq, Al-Nujaba held a rally in support of the Palestinian factions in Jenin during which banners were raised which portrayed Akram Al-Ka’abi, secretary-general of Al-Nujaba, alongside PIJ Secretary-General Ziad Al-Nakhalah.[3]

Al-Nujaba also saw fit to publish the PIJ response to the rally and posted a videoclip on its Telegram channel that depicts the rally and includes an interview with PIJ spokesman Tareq Silmi, who thanks Al-Nujaba for the “expression of solidarity” with the Palestinian people and expresses the hope that “all the peoples, the movements and the factions will do the same.” This statement appears to indicate criticism by PIJ for the absence of more widespread support.[4]

Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq Movement: Condemns Making Do With Statements Of Condemnation; States Supports For Palestinian Factions

On July 4, 2023, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Secretary-General Qais Al-Khaz'ali condemned Israel for attacks he described as “barbaric and ongoing against the Palestinian people,” and stated that the Jenin operation is proof that Israel is unable to achieve its objectives and to eliminate the resistance. Al-Khaz’ali accuses Israel of bombing and firing gas bombs at families in the camp and refers to these alleged acts as “war crimes.”

Ironically, he accused the international community and the Islamic world of responsibility for the continuation of these attacks because they “make do with statements of condemnation without employing means of deterrence in response to these crimes,” and asserted “in the clearest manner possible, our support and backing for our brothers in the Palestinian resistance factions. We stand by them in their heroic and steadfast stance which has routed the enemies’ plans.”[5]

Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades: The Palestinian Issue Is The Central Issue For The Axis Of Resistance

On the afternoon of July 4, 2023, Baghdad time, the Telegram channel of the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades, headed by Abu Alaa Al-Walai, released an “urgent” statement saying that the organization had sent a message of solidarity and support to PIJ Secretary-General Ziad Al-Nakhalah. In the message, Al-Walai reiterated “[our] total support and our steadfast stand alongside the Palestinian people in its fateful struggle in the defense of itself, its land, and the holy places.” He stressed that his organization believes “in unity of purpose of the resistance movements that are concentrated in the trench of truth.”

Several hours later, it was reported that Al-Nakhalah had phoned Al-Walai to thank him for the message. In a videoclip shared by the official Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades Telegram channel which portrays the conversation between the two, Al-Walai is heard congratulating Al-Nakhalah on his “victory” and saying that the Palestinian issue is the central issue for the axis of resistance and that at the instruction of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei, the axis has become one front encompassing Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, and Yemen. Al-Nakhalah thanked Al-Walai and added that it is the hope of his organization that there will be one front and that “we will all stand shoulder to shoulder.”[6]

Iraqi Resistance Coordinating Committee: Prepared For Every Option For The Sake Of The Palestinian Issue

Late at night on July 4, 2023, when it had already been reported that the Israeli forces were leaving Jenin, the Iraqi Resistance Coordinating Committee (IRCC), which comprises several militias, first and foremost Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Hizbullah Brigades, released a statement in which it described the operation in Jenin as “another racist Zionist escalation,” and “fascist barbarity… Against the peaceful Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp, before the entire world, while the international community does nothing and it [the operation is carried out] in cahoots with the U.S. and its allies from the countries of evil, in order to harm the steadfast stance of the fighting Palestinian people and its perseverance in defending the holy places.”

The IRCC called on the clerics and peoples of the Islamic nation to help the Palestinians to face “the great crimes perpetrated by the oppressive entity [i.e. Israel] every day” and stressed that all the factions that are members adhere to the position that the Palestinian people has the right to live with dignity “on all the Palestinian land from the river to the sea.” The committee also urged the “free men” of the world to expose “the Israeli [crimes of] terror.”

In conclusion, the committee noted that it “stands with and supports the factions of the resistance in Palestine and stresses its willingness to employ all the options that will help the religion and the Palestinian issue.”[7]

Pro-Iran-Backed Militias Telegram Channel: The Militias Make Do With Statements Of Condemnation Instead Of Attacking the Americans In Iraq

The fact that some militias limited themselves to publishing statements of support for the Palestinians sparked criticism among a number of their supporters on Telegram. The Shadow Man Telegram channel mocked the statement released by the IRCC and wrote, “The nicest thing that appeared in the statement from the IRCC is that the Islamic resistance in Iraq stands with and supports the resistance factions in Palestine and stresses ‘its willingness to employ all the options that will help the religion and the Palestinian issue’.” The channel commented, “I think that this readiness is like the readiness to avenge the commanders [i.e. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Qods Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi (Popular Mobilization Units, PMU) who were killed on January 3, 2020]. A few seats and a few government offices and positions made you forget it.”[8]

Another post on The Shadow Man channel read, “Jenin does not need statements but rockets, drones, and IEDs that will scatter the body parts of the Americans and their helpers in Iraq. Yes, this is one front. Every attack against the Americans on every front is a slap in the face to the entity [i.e. Israel]. For there is no Israel without the devil’s country ‘America.’”[9]

This criticism from supporters of the militias is likely emerging from resentment among some of the supporters of the militias about the dramatic reduction in the number of attacks against the American forces in Iraq ever since the formation of the Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, in which some of the militias are members, among them Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades. As stated, recently, some of the militias have even admitted that there is currently a temporary ceasefire with the U.S. forces.