The principal Palestinian party in the occupied West Bank declared on Wednesday that it will rebuff external actions unrelated to the Palestinian cause and accused Iran of attempting to sow discord throughout its area.
The organization that rules the Palestinian Authority, Fatah, declared that it would not permit “our sacred cause and the blood of our people to be exploited” and that it would take action against any external meddling intended to damage national institutions or security forces.
Iran has long been accused by Israel of providing support to Palestinian armed organizations, notably Hamas, the Islamist organization in Gaza that spearheaded the onslaught on Israel on October 7 and has recently grown more established in the West Bank.
The Israeli military declared last month that security personnel had prevented the smuggling of cutting-edge weaponry, such as anti-tank mines, into the West Bank.
Iran has previously stated that whatever assistance it provides is at the request of the Palestinians, without explicitly denying supporting the armed organizations.
The Palestinian Authority has requested the UN Security Council to vote this month to admit it as a full member of the organization, which would increase pressure from across the world for a two-state solution with Israel. This is when Fatah made its announcement.
After Israel occupied the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East war, the Palestinians, who desire the region as the center of a future independent state that would encompass Gaza and have East Jerusalem as its capital, have been at odds with Israel for decades.
Since the conflict in Gaza began in October of last year, hundreds of Palestinians have been murdered by Israeli troops, and thousands more have been jailed. The violence in the region has also increased, with over a dozen Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks.
