In early 2012, a group of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs established the Popular Committee for Solidarity with Syria in Occupied Palestine, which supports the Syrian regime and its army. Among the committee members are Israeli Arab public figures, including Knesset member Sa'id Nafa' and former Knesset member 'Issam Mahoul. At several recent conferences held by the committee, participants accused the U.S., Turkey, the Zionists and Arab countries of plotting against Syria. They claimed that the U.S. is spearheading the plot out of a desire to punish Syria for leading the resistance axis and thwarting the West's plan for the Arab countries. They also accused Turkey of backing terrorist organizations that are acting against Syria, and the Zionists of being responsible for the bloodshed in Syria, along with America.
At the closing of an October 2012 conference in Haifa in honor of the Syrian army, the committee published a statement signed by 70 intellectuals, which said: "The wicked assault on Syria – its soil, territory and state – is escalating at this crucial historical juncture. This is an Arab, regional and international plot that has already been condemned and which takes the form of blunt interference aimed at drowning Syria in violence. It is retaliation for Syria's pan-Arab stance in support of the resistance, and is meant to serve the plan for imperialistic domination of the Arab region... We cannot remain indifferent to the events [in Syria]. We must speak out, because the outcome of this crucial struggle will affect generations to come. The nation must defeat its enemies, even if this requires many sacrifices."
MK Sa'id Nafa, who attended the conference, explained that the closing statement conveyed two messages: "first, that a significant portion of the educated Israeli Arabs supports the reforms [enacted by the regime] in Syria and advocates coming out against Syria's enemies; and second, that the Israeli Arabs respect Syria and its stance on the Palestinian issue." Former MK 'Issam Mahoul, who also attended, said: "The events in Syria prove the existence of an international plot and terrorist attack aimed at destroying this country, not only its regime..."
Commentator Alif Al-Sabagh' said that Syria's enemies were doing everything in their power to fragment the Arab world: "They fragmented Iraq, and today they want to do the same to Syria. But our Arab people and Islamic ummah will stand firm in the face of these criminal plots that the U.S. is leading against the Arab world."[1]
Erdogan Supports Armed Terrorist Groups
In October 2012, the committee held a demonstration of solidarity with the Syrian people in front of the Turkish Consulate in East Jerusalem, called "Hands Off Syria." The protesters, carrying Syrian and Palestinian flags, condemned Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan for supporting armed terrorist groups which, they said, are committing acts of murder and sabotage in Syria and threatening the security of its people. Jack Khazmo, editor of the Palestinian weekly Al-Bayadir Al-Siyyassi, said: "The Palestinian people stands alongside the proud [land of] Syria and opposes Turkey's blunt interference in its internal affairs." Jamila 'Asla, referred to as the mother of a "martyr," said: "Our outrage, our standing alongside Syria, and our cry of defiance are a response to the plot against [this country] and against the resistance axis."[2]
Events In Syria Are Not "A Struggle For Democracy, But A War Against Syria's Very Existence"
Another of the committee's conferences, held in March 2012 in the village of Al-Rama in the Galilee, was attended by dozens of committee activists, as well as by clerics, public figures, and politicians from various factions. Conference chairman Archbishop 'Atallah Hanna – who in 2002 was dismissed from his post as spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem for condoning for suicide bombings – expressed appreciation for the committee's efforts "to defend Syria and its people against international aggression."[3] Another participant said that the events in Syria were not "a struggle for freedom or democracy, but a war against Syria's very existence, motivated by its opposition to the American projects that are hostile to the region and the Arab nation. [This] war pivots around the Palestinian issue... [and] its main purpose is clearly to dismantle Syria and undermine its role as the sponsor of the resistance [axis] and the main pillar of the camp that opposes imperialism, Zionism, and Arab reactionism, and their programs in the region."[4]
The Unholy Trinity Of Imperialism, Zionism, and Arab Reactionism
The committee has also slammed Egypt for removing the Syrian state television channels from its NileSat network, calling the measure an attempt "to silence the [Syrian] media that is standing as a shield against the winds of conspiracy... Every self-respecting media reporter and every free and democracy[-loving] person in this world must stand up and condemn this arbitrary move and strengthen the national Syrian media that is defending the honor of the ummah... The unholy trinity of imperialism, Zionism, and Arab reactionism, which is party to the bloodshed in Syria, is using its media to lead a civil war in Syria, in order to undermine the foundations of the state and deliver it into the talons of this unholy trinity. But the national Syrian media lay in wait [for this unholy trinity] and thwarted its plans and deception programs."[5]
The October 2012 conference in Haifa[6]
Endnotes:
[1] SANA (Syria), October 29, 2012.
[2] SANA (Syria), October 4, 2012.
[3] Kalam.co.il, March 28, 2012.
[4] Kalam.co.il, March 28, 2012.
[5] Alarab.net, September 7, 2012.
[6] SANA (Syria), October 29, 2012.
