In a massive escalation against the Palestinian diplomatic effort and leadership, Israeli special forces on Wednesday assassinated the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, who had been leading the diplomatic effort on behalf of the Hamas political wing, in an extrajudicial assassination in Iran.
The Hamas movement announced on Wednesday morning the assassination of its political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, Tehran. The assassination was immediately condemned by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, other Arab leaders and the Arab League.
Haniyeh’s assassination came within 24 hours of the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah’s most senior military commander in Beirut, Lebanon.
United Nations Security Council countries on Wednesday called for stepped-up diplomatic efforts to avert a wider Middle East conflict after the killings of the two leaders massively stepped up tensions between Israel and Lebanon and Iran.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran early on Wednesday, sparking threats of revenge against Israel and fueling concern the Gaza conflict was turning into a wider Middle East war. The assassination occurred less than 24 hours after Hwas killed in an Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut in retaliation for a deadly rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Palestinian UN Ambassador Ambassador Feda Abdelhady stated, “We demand accountability for Israel’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, as we have continually demanded accountability for the wanton murder and injury of over 130,000 Palestinian children, women and men across these past 300 days of horror and hell in Gaza and call for accountability for all of Israel’s criminal policies and practices in our territory across the decades.”
According to Sheharyar Mirza of the Middle East Eye, “The assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, the highest level Hamas official killed since Israel’s war on Gaza broke out in October, was a dangerous escalation designed to draw Iran into a war, and with it, the US, analysts say.”
According to Israeli sources, Iran’s Leader ordered a direct attack on Israel in response to the invasion of their sovereignty to engage in an assassination in direct violation of international law. The Israeli action in Tehran is a clear act of war against Iran, which has so far stayed out of engaging directly with Israel despite the 299 day long Israeli assault on Gaza.
Since October, Ismail Haniyeh has been attempting a diplomatic resolution to end Israel’s assault on Gaza. He proposed Hamas laying down arms and accepting a two-state solution. Each time he proposed a ceasefire, Israeli forces – including his children, grandchildren and elderly sister.
