The Hamas View Of The Kurds

“Hamas, like many of the occupiers of Kurdistan, accepts the Kurds only in such a way that they consider themselves Muslims alone,” Azizi noted. “Neither talks about rights nor talk about an independent state. This policy of Hamas and Palestinians against Kurds came to light when a referendum was held in Iraqi Kurdistan on the independence of that part of Kurdistan on September 25, 2017. Hamas and the Palestinians believe that if Kurdistan is created in the region, it can become a new Israel. They believe that a strong Kurdistan in the region may be a strategic ally for Israel. This means both Israel and Kurdistan can dominate the region’s energy hubs and strengthen their countries militarily, which can eventually jeopardize Hamas’ nationalist and ideological plans.”

According to him, “The Kurds are a people who oppose violence and extremist Islam. This is also one of the main reasons why Hamas is so adamant that such a nation in the region should not have its own independent entity. Hamas, as an extremist Islamic nationalist organization, has in several years done its utmost to serve Saddam Hussein’s policies when he was in power (he killed 200,000 Kurds in the Anfal operation and with chemical weapons from 1984- 1988). Hamas turned a blind eye on what Saddam Hussein had done against the Kurds and believed that he was the guardian of the Arab world. In addition to Hamas, the Palestinian people are also proud to look at such a dictator man who ruled the people by force of arms.”

In the eyes of Azizi, this is pure hypocrisy: “Hamas’s opposition to the creation of an independent Kurdistan in the region comes at a time the organization believes that the Palestinian people, should have an independent state. From their point of view, Israel must be dismantled, and Hamas and the Palestinians take over the entire territory of Palestine and Israel.”

“The state of Israel has been facing threats since its inception to this day,” he added. “The country has repeatedly entered into major wars with Arab countries and is still under constant threat from Iran and Iranian-backed forces in the region. In spite of all these dangers, the people of Israel have stood on their own feet and, whenever there was a chance for peace, they have chosen peace, and whenever war has taken place, they have defended themselves with all their might and have not given up. One thing which is obvious in this case is that Israel has been alone in the region until now. They didn’t have a strategic friend in the Middle East. When we look at the Kurds, we can easily say: it’s the same with them too.”