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Hostility towards Israel: A Fundamental Element of Iranian Foreign Policy

(Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center) Dr. Raz Zimmt - Hostility to Israel continues to be a major component of the Iranian regime's worldview and enjoys an almost total political consensus. During the past year, the Iranian leadership, led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, continually voiced strong anti-Israel statements, openly advocating the destruction of the State of Israel. Explicit threats against Israel are also made by senior members of the Iranian military establishment. Iran continues to encourage, promote and support anti-Israel terrorist activity, which is carried out by the Palestinian terrorist organizations and Hizbullah. Despite the crisis in Iran-Hamas relations which began with the beginning of the Syrian civil war, Iran is still committed to supporting the Palestinian military-terrorist campaign against Israel. Iran's financial aid to the Palestinians continues as well. Iran gives Hizbullah an estimated $200 million a year, some of which is diverted to Hizbullah's military infrastructure in Lebanon, especially its rocket arsenal, earmarked for use at a future date in accordance with Iranian interests. Not only did the nuclear agreement make no change in Iran's policies toward Israel, to a great degree it encouraged Tehran to be more overtly hostile, proof of its ongoing adherence to the Islamic Revolution's ideology. The writer is a research fellow at the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University.
2016-10-28 00:00:00
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