Hamas Chief Reveals Iran Played 'Big Role' in Gaza War
Exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal praised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and confirmed Iran played a "big role" in arming and backing Hamas.

by Malkah Fleisher, Arutz Sheva
February 2, 2009

Khaled Mashaal
 

Exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal praised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his latest trip to Iran, and confirmed that the publicly anti-Israel country played a "big role" in arming and backing Hamas during the recent war in Gaza. Mashaal's statements were publicized by Iranian state television on Monday.

Mashaal, who currently resides in Syria, was quoted by the Iranian network as telling Ahmadinejad that Iran is a "partner in victory", saying Hamas-infested Gaza has "always appreciated the political and spiritual support of the Iranian leaders and nation."

Mashaal was greeted Monday at Tehran University by hundreds of admirers chanting "hail to the soldier of holy war."

Israel launched a 3-week-long offensive in Gaza on December 27 – Operation Cast Lead - to stop the Hamas terror organization from targeting Jewish civilians with rocket fire in southwestern Israel. Almost 1,300 Arabs were killed in the war, as were 13 Israeli civilians and soldiers.

Mashaal was targeted for assassination by the Israeli government under Binyamin Netanyahu in 1997, when Mossad agents poisoned the Hamas leader in Jordan. When Netanyahu refused the demand of King Abdullah of Jordan to provide an antidote to the poison, US President Bill Clinton intervened, forcing Netanyahu to provide the cure which saved Mashaal's life.