Gaza air defense, Nizar Banat, and Iran defeating the defeatists

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On February 2, 2023, the Resistance Factions in Gaza responded to Zionist air raids with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran. As usual, the defeatists, liberal NGO compradors, and purveyors of fitna (sedition) condemned this as another attempt made by Iran to cynically ‘control’ the Axis of Resistance or otherwise ‘spread Shi’ism’. Thankfully, a day later, videos of the martyr Nizar Banat began to resurface online. In these videos, the martyr explains the hypocrisy of these defeatists and liberal elements of Palestinian and Arab society; he rhetorically asks those who cheer on the rocket fire and condemn Iran in the same breath ‘where did these rockets come from?’. Next comes another more powerful question: “Why would it [Iran] bother with 42 years of sanctions? [And] several hundred million of its dollars confiscated?" To this question, I believe the defeatists have no retort. The Islamic Republic is the only state in the world with a permanent piece of its budget allocated to support the Palestinian Resistance "from the budget of the Iranian people’s bread…to support the Palestinian Resistance," Banat continues. After 42 years, it is clear that this support does not carry with it conditions, especially ideological ones. According to Banat, Iran has supported the Palestinian heroic cause through all the years when the cause has waxed and waned. Whether it is Hamas, PIJ, PFLP, or Fatah, Iran has fought side by side with the Palestinians in order to remove the Zionist stain from the region. In this regard, and on this topic, two things matter very little: the internal political texture of the Iranian state and sectarian strife. Those who point to the latter argue that it is only since the war on Syrian that Iran has supported the Palestinian cause, and they only do so to benefit their own civilizational project. Liars and hypocrites they are.

In regards to the defense systems and SAMs, there is countless evidence from leaders of various Resistance factions and from martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani himself that all of this defensive materiel is a combination of ready-at-hand weaponry, as well as technical know-how in order to improve the production and manufacture of indigenous weaponry. According to Banat, Iran says “take, take and become a man, and fight." From Iran, there is no paternalism, nor any conditions, only verbal support and concrete solidarity... Another video that has resurfaced online is an interview with a PFLP commando who says “we would like to state that they [Iran] are our comrades, our friends, our brothers in blood and arms…we fought with them against our enemy, and we will fight with them against their enemies," it is abundantly clear that Iran’s support does not waver based on one ideological trend or another, but what does this mean practically speaking? It means that the Palestinian people are free to choose who represents them. In these types of discussions, I am reminded of the evergreen words of Chairman Mao who posed a simple, yet powerful question that is key for determining any type of strategic and tactical alliance: "Who are our enemies? Who are our friends?." By asking this question and understanding it in power-political terms, there will be clear answers.

So, we will begin by asking: "who are our enemies?" Principally, they are the Zionists and their corrupt entity. Not just the Zionists, but their imperial sponsors in Washington and Brussels. Without the blank check from the United States, the Zionist entity would be nothing. Their entire economy is built on a castle of sand. Next in line are the Arab regimes partaking in normalization; the Saudis, the Emiratis, and the Kingdom of Morocco. While these states are looking for ways to diversify their economy in a green-capitalist fashion (NEOM, Masdar City, Rabat Technopolis... etc.), they are also normalizing in order to keep the ‘gravy train’ coming from their imperial sponsors. In this case, an obvious distinction is made between the people and their government, as evidenced by the Moroccan football team’s flying of Palestinian flags after every win during the World Cup. Lastly, and to be frank, the least important enemy of our cause are the diaspora liberal Ph.D. candidates and their Trotskyist and anarchist associates. Together, they form a Zionist fifth column in the West with their priorities being condemning acts of resistance as 'futile' or at worst ‘fascist’ because of the Islamic basis of many Resistance factions.

Next, we must ask who our friends are. As discussed above, the Islamic Republic of Iran remains the foremost provider of not only verbal support but also technological know-how and weapons. Stories of Hajj Qassem Soleimani traveling in secret to Gaza to provide tactical support and coordinating the drop-off of submerged barrels full of weapons in the Mediterranean are both beautiful and powerful. The Syrian Arab Republic, after fallout and reconciliation with the Resistance factions, remains a steadfast ally of the Palestinian cause and has lost its finest sons and daughters defending itself and others from American and Zionist schemes in the region. The people of Yemen and Ansar Allah remain steadfast comrades in arms of the Palestinian Resistance, even pledging their bread to the defenders of Al Aqsa when they themselves have very little after years of siege from the Saudi-led coalition. Hezbollah remains unparalleled in their steadfastness against the Zionists, serving the Zionist army defeats in 2000 and 2006, and again in their negotiations regarding the Karish gas fields.

So what of Russia? China? In these cases, our analysis must be sober and unflinching.

Relations have soured between Moscow and "Tel Aviv" due to the Zionists' pro-Ukraine stance and their arming of groups like the Azov Battalion, this much is true. Moreover, Russia has supported Syria in defending its territorial sovereignty, which is certainly laudable. Yet, the interests of the Russian Federation are limited to survival and an end to US unipolarity, so they will act as such. This means their relationship with the Zionists remains strategic, and we are likely not going to see outright Russian support for Palestinian Resistance factions while the current government remains.

In regard to China, it has long abandoned exporting revolution and remains a key trading partner of the Zionist regime while also offering to be a ‘more honest’ broker between the two sides (they officially support a "two-state" solution on paper). So again, the fact that China stands as an important and welcomed counterweight to US unipolarity does not necessitate their agitation toward the end of the Zionist garrison entity, nor does it mean that they are above criticism. Our analysis must remain rock solid in regard to principles and flexible in regard to tactics. Our allegiance must be to liberation, first and foremost. There are those who will help us to achieve that, there are those who will create conditions on the world scale which make liberation higher on the agenda, and there are those who will do everything they can to stop our liberation. Knowing the difference is of crucial importance.