“We don't sleep for one night unless we think of eliminating our enemies.  We will continue our endeavors for the victory of the Palestinian resistance day and night, for its victory, until the earth, sky, and sea become hell for the Zionists,” stresses Martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who believed in the cause of Al-Quds, sacrificed on its fronts, paid the tax of perseverance in its path, and suffered from the scourge of the siege and international brutal sanctions for its sake.

 Indeed, over the last four decades, Iran is still steadfast in its advocacy for Palestine as recommended by Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who always recommends defending Palestine as a legitimate and divine duty.

On International Quds Day, the Palestinians affirm that Hajj Qassem Soleimani was a pioneering devotee of Palestine, in word, deed, and sacrifices, dedicating his entire life for the sake of Palestine until its resistance has become strong and capable. Martyr Soleimani was a loyal and humble soldier, who loved Palestine, and his greatest concern was to support its steadfastness for his certainty that the Palestinians would preserve the cause and preserve their Arab and Islamic identity in the face of the Zionist colonial identity.

Staunch supporter of Palestinian harmony

Hajj Qassem was keen to receive the various Palestinian factions in Tehran, Beirut, and Damascus, regardless of their political identity and organizational affiliation as he had a remarkable role in connecting them with the Arab and Islamic depth. He remained confident that all good is in the cohesion of all parties to the axis of resistance. Further, he personally bore criticisms that accused him of overconfidence, to the extent that Sayyed Khamenei appreciated his sincere efforts, his patience, and certainty as he was able to heal the rift and unite the ranks of the Palestinian resistance.

Hajj Qassem proved that Iran does not differentiate in its support for the resistance between Sunnis and Shiites. He prioritized the Palestinian resistance to many other Shiite forces in Lebanon or Iraq and spared no efforts to extinguish the fire of sectarianism because he knew that the enemy was the one who ignites its flames to disperse the Muslims. In a speech in 2017, he says, “We do not help Palestine for the sake of the Shiites; we do not work at all with anyone because of being Shiite. 99% of the Palestinian people are Sunnis and we defend them.”

Martyr Qassem Soleimani realized the strength of the patient Palestinian people, so he did not fail them nor did he hesitate to meet their needs with salaries and aid. Plus, he has always personally received the wounded in Iranian hospitals, contributed to their treatment, and followed up on their medical conditions.

As for the Palestinian detainees, they were at the forefront of his priorities, and he received their messages, listened to their complaints, and worked with the Palestinian resistance forces to liberate them, improve their living conditions, and expedite their release in conjunction with the resistance forces to exchange.

Relentless support for the resistance

Hajj Qassem provided the Palestinian resistance with Iranian missiles, as well as the technology of their manufacture and development so that it would be able to be self-reliant, manufacture the missiles it needs on its own, and benefit from the raw materials available to it for the next war, which the Steel Dome cannot deter despite all its anti-war systems.

In addition to the missiles that played a major role in changing deterrence equations, Hajj Qassem Soleimani had a major role in the offensive tunnels weapon, as the Palestinian resistance, through the network of infrastructure tunnels that it established under the Gaza Strip, reached the enemy’s settlements to carry out advanced operations.

Despite this, Martyr Soleimani did not leave the Palestinians alone. In this regard, Ziyad Al-Nakhala, Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, confirms that Hajj Qassem Soleimani personally took part in the Gaza wars and spent hours with the resistance fighters.  He adds that he would “wake up with us for the dawn prayer and pray behind the Sunni Imam. His behavior seemed to us very natural as one's own faith does not contradict their righteous struggle for Islam.”

Hajj Qassem Soleimani believed that unity among Muslims was the only way to confront the enemies of the Islamic nation. Hence, he took a practical step toward strengthening unity among the Muslim ummah and drawing their attention to the first issue of the Islamic world, which is Palestine, despite the United States’ arrogant measures against him. Thus, he has honorably and deservedly earnt the name ‘Martyr of Al-Aqsa’.