During gatherings and meetings, pro-Iranian and Islamic groups in Kurdistan openly demonstrate unwavering support for Hamas, urging Muslim communities to unite and form organized entities with the objective of joining forces with Hamas fighters.
The Islamic groups and pro-Iranian parties expressing support for Hamas include the Islamic Group of Kurdistan, the Islamic Unity of Kurdistan, and certain factions within the PUK in Kurdistan.
During a meeting in Sulaymaniyah on the previous Sunday, Ali Pabir, the leader of the Islamic Group of Kurdistan, made a resounding call, stating, “We encourage the unity of all Muslim nations and individuals to jointly combat Israeli forces and strive for the liberation of Muslim territories.”
“It is the duty of every Muslim to extend their support to the oppressed Palestinian people in any way they can. Even if it’s through prayer.” Bapir concluded.
In addition to this, the Islamic Union of Kurdistan, which maintains affiliations with both Iran and Turkey, recently released a statement expressing their solidarity with Hamas. They also criticized the United States for its support of Israel. According to an anonymous source from the Islamic Union party of Kurdistan, they are planning to launch a fundraising campaign to provide financial assistance to the individuals from Gaza who have sought refuge in Egypt.
The both leaders of Islamic parties in Kurdistan have expressed their willingness to support the fight in Gaza.
On Tuesday, there were plans by Both Islamic group of Kurdistan and Islamic Union of Kurdistan to hold a gathering in Erbil to demonstrate support and solidarity for Hamas. However, Kurdish security forces intervened and prevented the event from taking place. Additionally, there were warnings that individuals who attempt to organize meetings in support of Hamas may face imprisonment.
On the other hand, although PUK has been neutral officially, but certain factions within the PUK, which are pro-Iran, as well as various media outlets and pages, openly express strong support and solidarity for Hamas on a daily basis. PUK supporters and media outlets often criticize the PDK and the Kurdistan government for not taking a clear stance in the Hamas-Israeli conflict.
PDK, a pro-USA and Western-oriented party with historical ties to Israel, has officially maintained a neutral stance regarding the Hamas-Israel conflict. However, it can be observed that through its media outlets, PDK has shown support for Israel.
The ordinary Kurdish citizens strongly criticize those who support Hamas, emphasizing that there are many national issues in Southern and Western Kurdistan that demand our attention.
They argue that it is crucial to stand against the daily bombings by Turkey in Rojava and Iraq’s attempts to undermine the Kurdistan Region. Public opinion among Kurdish citizens questions the rationale for supporting Hamas, highlighting that when they were oppressed, Palestinians did not support the Kurdish cause. Instead, they supported Turkey and Iraq against us, leading to skepticism about extending support to Hamas.
