How have Palestinian groups reacted to the overthrow of al-Assad in Syria? | Syria war news

Palestinian factions have largely expressed support for the Syrian people following the overthrow of former president Bashar al-Assad and have said they hope the new authorities will support the Palestinian cause.

When dawn broke in Damascus in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Syrians woke up to a country changed dramatically after opposition forces stormed Syria’s capital less than two weeks after a lightning offensive.

Palestinian factions have supported opposing sides in the Syrian war for the past 13 years. Syria – home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees – has played a major role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

This is how the main Palestinian groups reacted to the fall of al-Assad in recent days:

Palestinian Authority (PA)

The State of Palestine, led by the public address systemsaid Sunday that it supports the Syrian people, “respecting their will and political decisions, in a way that guarantees their security and stability and preserves their achievements.”

The Palestinian presidency added in a statement that it affirms “the need to respect the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, and preserve its security and stability, wishing continued progress and prosperity for the brotherly Syrian people.”

The presidency stressed that political parties should prioritize the interests of the Syrian people and support the “just cause towards freedom and independence” of the Palestinians.

Hamas

Hamas congratulated the Syrian people on Monday for achieving their “aspirations for freedom and justice.”

“We firmly support the great people of Syria… and respect the will, independence and political choices of the people of Syria,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

He also urged Syrians to unite and “overcome the wounds of the past,” condemning what he called the “brutal aggression.” for Israel against Syria.

Hamas added that it hopes Syria will continue “its historic and fundamental role in supporting the Palestinian people.”

Hamas sided with the anti-Assad uprising early in the crisis despite its alliance with Iran, which backed the Damascus government. The Palestinian group’s position cooled ties with Tehran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but the alliance eventually revived despite disagreements over Syria.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

The Palestinian faction, allied to Hamas and Iran, said the recent events are a Syrian issue that relates to the “decisions of the brother Syrian people.”

“Islamic Jihad hopes that Syria will continue to be a true supporter and defender of the Palestinian people and their just cause, as it has always been,” Ziad al-Nakhala, head of Islamic Jihad, said in a statement.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

The leftist group, which had previously expressed support for the Syrian government, did not address al-Assad’s fall in its first official statement after opposition fighters captured Damascus.

Instead, the PFLP focused on condemning the current Israeli attacks on Syria.

“This Zionist aggression against Syrian territory carries dangerous dimensions that require solidarity to confront,” the group said.

“The Front emphasizes that the Zionist enemy’s air strikes against Syria and its incursion into Syrian territory amount to a dangerous escalation in aggression against the peoples and States of the region,” he added.

“The enemy is trying to take advantage of the phase of internal changes in Syria to achieve renewed objectives of aggression against Syria and its people.”

National and Islamic Palestinian forces in Damascus

The coalition, which includes several Palestinian factions, described the overthrow of al-Assad as an internal Syrian matter.

“The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces in Damascus sincerely look forward to the right of the Syrian people to determine their future and build a unified and fully sovereign Syria within a framework of freedom, justice, democracy and equal citizenship without discrimination,” the coalition said.

He added that he hopes for a “Syria that continues to fulfill its fraternal and national duties towards the Palestinian people.”