How did Palestinian groups react to the ouster of al-Assad from Syria? | Syrian War News

Palestinian groups expressed their support for the Syrian people after the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad when they said they hoped that the new authorities would support the Palestinian cause.

As dawn broke in Damascus on Sunday morning, Syrians rallied in a country that had changed dramatically after opposition forces stormed the Syrian capital less than two weeks into the offensive.

Palestinian factions have supported opposing sides of 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.

Here is how the leading Palestinian groups reacted to the fall of al-Assad in the past days:

Palestinian Authority (PA)

The State of Palestine, run by the PA, said on Sunday it stands for the Syrian people, “respecting their will and their political choices, in a way that guarantees their security and stability and preserves their success”.

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 to maintain its security and stability, wishing for the continued prosperity of the brotherly Syrian people”.

The Presidency stressed that political parties should prioritize the interests of the Syrian people and support “the rightful cause of the Palestinians for freedom and independence”.

Hamas

Hamas congratulated the Syrian people on Monday for fulfilling their “wishes for freedom and justice”.

“We stand firmly with the great people of Syria … and we respect the will, independence, and political choice of the Syrian people,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

It also urged Syrians to unite and “rise above the wounds of the past”, condemning what it called Israel’s “brutal aggression” against Syria.

Hamas added that it hoped Syria would continue its “historic and important role in supporting the Palestinian people”.

Hamas sided with al-Assad at the beginning of the crisis despite its cooperation with Iran, which supports the Damascus government. The Palestinian faction’s stance strained relations with Tehran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but the alliance was eventually renewed despite disagreements over Syria.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

The Palestinian faction, which is allied with Hamas and Iran, said that the latest developments are a Syrian issue related to “the choice of the Syrian people who are brothers”.

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

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

The left-wing party, which has expressed support for the Syrian government, made no mention of al-Assad’s fall in its first official statement after rebel fighters captured Damascus.

Instead, the PFLP focused on criticizing Israel’s ongoing attacks on Syria.

“This Zionist violence against the territory of Syria has dangerous dimensions that require unity to face it,” said the group.

“The Front insists that the airstrikes of the Zionist enemy against Syria and its incursion into Syrian territory amount to a dangerous escalation of violence against the people and regions of the region,” it added.

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

Palestinian National and Islamic Forces in Damascus

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

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

It added that it hoped that “Syria continues to fulfill its fraternal and national duties towards the Palestinian people”.