Israel and Islamic unity were two major themes of recent speeches by the ayatollah who rules Iran, Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The world of Islam has awakened, he said, and the "absolute" defeat of Israel is imminent. He foresees the present generation witnessing the "big day" of Israel's demise. In a sermon before the crowds gathered at Teheran's largest mosque complex on Wednesday, marking the Eid al-Fitr holiday at the conclusion of the Muslim month of Ramadan, the Shi'ite religious leader drew attention to the Iranian-inspired, but now international, al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day. It is marked on the last Friday of Ramadan, which fell last week, and is meant to keep the issue of Israel at the forefront of Muslim thought at the climax of the month-long period of religious introspection and fasting. Al-Quds Day, he said, was "the manifestation of true unity in the world of Islam. This year, from East to the West, in the world of Islam and even in Europe, which is dominated by governments' prejudices, everywhere, Muslims seized the chance and voiced their support for the oppressed Palestinian nation." Praising the effectiveness of Arab terrorism against Israel, Khamenei continued: "Today, the Islamic world is becoming more sensitive and motivated about the Palestinian issue in comparison to 60 years ago, when the enormous catastrophe occurred. The resistance of the brave Palestinian people is one of the most important factors behind the world's support for them. Palestinians have proved that they deserve to be called a vital Muslim nation." Khamenei claimed that "even senior Zionists admit" that Israel is weakening. He added that he foresees the present generation witnessing the "big day" of Israel's demise. Khamenei even used an occasion last week in memory of Iranians who fell battle with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s to praise Arab terror and lambaste Israel. Speaking to veterans of the inter-Muslim conflict, the ayatollah said that the Arabs "terrified" the heavily armed Israelis "with their bare hands." Using terminology he repeated this week as well, he added, "This was the lesson our awakened nation taught everyone." Of course, Iran has been offering more than praise to the Arab terrorists targeting Israel. The Lebanese Hizbullah, and the PA's Hamas and Islamic Jihad enjoy Iranian financial support, weapons and training. Hizbullah is essentially an Arab Shi'ite arm of the Iranian regime in Lebanon, with attacks on Jewish targets in Israel and overseas having been traced directly to the Islamic Republic. Hamas terrorists, now controlling the Gaza region, have received training in Iran as well as funding from Iranian sources.
