WASHINGTON, DC: A Washington-based think tank has published a report suggesting a perplexing connection between the Hamas attacks on Israel, which have resulted in the tragic loss of at least 1,400 lives, and a clandestine plan allegedly orchestrated by the late Iranian Revolutionary Guard leader, Qassem Soleimani.
This association between Soleimani and the Hamas attacks has opened up a pandora's box of contentious issues, reverberating in the already tumultuous Middle East.
The enigmatic Qassem Soleimani
The name Qassem Soleimani resonates as a highly controversial figure in international politics. He met his demise in a US drone strike ordered by then-President Donald Trump in January 2020, marking a significant turning point in the region's dynamics.
Now, posthumously, he stands accused of being the mastermind behind a sinister plot, one that was hinted at by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who spoke of 'The Complete Conquest' of Israel, alluding to a larger, ominous plan.
This eyebrow-raising claim comes as a result of the think tank report that raises suspicions of Hamas acting as a proxy for the Iranian regime and carrying out their agenda, thereby, leading to conjecture that Iran may have played a pivotal role in planning the Hamas surprise attack.
The operation, given the ominous name "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," has been the focal point of the escalating crisis since the outbreak of hostilities.
MEMRI report: Propaganda and allegations
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a prominent think tank, has played a significant role in bringing these allegations to light.
Their report highlights a piece of propaganda attributed to Khamenei: "The significance is that last year, the Leader [Khamenei] gave 'The promise of the imminent conquest,' and this year he gave 'the announcement of the complete conquest,' and Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is part of this imminent conquest."
MEMRI asserts that it was Soleimani who meticulously engineered this plan for mass murder, stating, "This promise and announcement, along with the clarity and power of [Khamenei's] statements and positions in his meeting [with leaders and ambassadors of Islamic countries] on the occasion of the Prophet [Muhammad's] birthday, have profound significance and content."
As a result of the spiraling violence and rising tensions, Israel recently labeled Iran a "terrorist state," a dramatic escalation in rhetoric that reflects the magnitude of the current crisis.
However, a spokesperson for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered a cautious response.
"Iran has had a long relationship with Hamas, and Hamas wouldn't be Hamas without the support that it's gotten over many years from Iran. Having said that, when it comes to this specific attack, right now, as we speak, we haven't seen direct evidence that Iran participated in or helped plan the attack," he said.
It's worth noting that Iran has supported Hamas in the past, albeit remained on the fringes until recent months. "That doesn't mean that it didn't; we just don't have the evidence to show it. And as I said, there's a long relationship between the two," the spokesman added.
Controversial assassination of Qassem Soleimani
The death of Qassem Soleimani marked a significant turning point in the Middle East. He was killed when an American MQ-9 Reaper drone fired missiles at his convoy as it left Baghdad airport on January 3, 2020.
Soleimani's role in Iran was crucial, often described as the country's most influential figure after its supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
Controversy continues to swirl around the legality of Soleimani's killing. Agnes Callamard, a United Nations expert who formerly served as the UN's special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, deemed the strike unlawful.
"Major General Soleimani was in charge of Iran's military strategy, and actions, in Syria and Iraq," she said, adding, "But absent an actual imminent threat to life, the course of action taken by the US was unlawful."
Callamard's assessment labeled the strike an "arbitrary killing" for which the United States bears responsibility under international human rights law, the Daily Mail reported.
