‘Muslim nations have responsibility to support Palestinian resistance’

Tehran, Feb 21 (IANS) Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday said all Muslim countries have a responsibility to support Palestinian resistance, which should be a source of unity in the Islamic world.

Khamenei made the remarks at the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in Tehran on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

"Despite the differences that exist among Islamic countries -- some of these differences are natural, some originate from the enemy's plot and the rest are because of negligence -- the issue of Palestine can and should be the pivot of unity for all Islamic countries," he said.

Palestine has been the site of increased tensions since last August, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinians into the al-Aqsa Mosque's compound in East Jerusalem al-Quds, according to the report.

Protests against the restrictions have been met with a deadly Israeli crackdown, which has in turn prompted strengthened Palestinian resistance, known as the third Palestinian intifada.

Khamenei pointed to the phased development of the Israeli occupation and said the cure for the disaster should also come in stages. "From the beginning, this cancerous tumour has been developing in several phases until it turned into the current disaster. The cure for this tumour should be developed in phases as well," Khamenei said.

He said that as long as the name and memory of Palestine and resistance are preserved, it will be impossible for the Israeli regime to strengthen its foundations.

"The creation of Israel has been the plot hatched by extra-regional powers, and 'this has caused the fake being (Israel) to replace the real being (Palestine)' in the region," Khamenei said.

He added that the "dangers originating from the presence of the Zionist regime should never be ignored" neither should the needs of resistance in the West Bank, "because the West Bank shoulders the main burden" of intifada.

"Supporting the resistance is the responsibility of all of us," Khamenei said, adding, "No one has the right to have special expectations of them in return for assistance."

Around 700 foreign guests and representatives of pro-Palestinian organisations participated in the conference in Tehran. Among other participants in the conference were senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.

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