In a June 1, 2021 column in the Saudi daily 'Okaz, journalist Khaled Al-Sulaiman wondered what would happen if an independent Palestinian state were to be established under the rule of Hamas. He speculated that such a state would not only fail to defend the Arabs' national security against the growing regional influence of Iran and Turkey, but would actually become part of the Iranian axis and a tool for realizing the Iranian hegemonial plans, displaying hostility and aggression towards the Arab world. He therefore concluded that, before liberating Palestine from the Israeli occupation, it must be freed from the clutches of Iran.
Khaled Al-Sulaiman (Source: 'Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
The following are translated excerpts from his column:[1]
"What would happen if Palestine were to be liberated [from the Israeli occupation] tomorrow and a Palestinian state were to be founded, under the control of Hamas? What sort of relations would this state have with the Arab states, especially with Saudi Arabia?
"Hamas and most of the revolutionary Palestinian factions are openly hostile to Saudi Arabia, at least as hostile as they are to Israel, if not more so. The unofficial Palestinian rhetoric vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia, on the political, media and popular levels, is one of incitement and accusations of betrayal. It is overtly and covertly hostile. I think that Hamas, and the revolutionary factions like the [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad [PIJ], are closer to Iran and to its policy [than to the Arab states], and have closer alliance with the Iranian militias like the Lebanese Hizbullah the Iraqi Hashd [Al-Sha'bi], and with the Syrian regime, [than with the Arab states]. The crimes perpetrated by these Iranian proxies against the Sunni Arabs and Muslims in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon have no effect on this relationship [between the Palestinians and Iran and its proxies], nor does the sectarian policy taken by Iran as part of its hegemony over the region!
"So what would be the effect of establishing a Palestinian state controlled by Hamas and the PIJ…?!
"What is certain is that a Palestinian state controlled by Hamas will not be an Arab state that contributes to defending the Arab national security against the expanding regional influence of Iran and Turkey, and will not be a state that puts an end to the schisms and division afflicting the Arab homeland. On the contrary, it will be hostile to the Arabs. It will be part of the Iranian camp and will become one of its tools.
"In short, before liberating Palestine from Israel, it must first be liberated from the clutches of Iran!"
[1] 'Okaz (Saudi Arabia), June 1, 2021.
