Yassin's death exposes Arab-Iran divide

[democratic]

http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en59871&F_catID=&f_type=source

TEHRAN: The days after the death in an Israeli rocket attack of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, leader of the Palestinian group Hamas, has highlighted rifts between Iranians, and between Iran and its Arab neighbours.

The March 22 assassination drew immediate condemnation from Iran's top political and religious leaders, but Sheikh Yassin's death has so far failed to stir large-scale public reaction. Despite fiery rhetoric from their leaders, only some 7,000 people, many of them from the military and government, took part in March 29 rallies, organized by officials to commemorate Sheikh Yassin.

Members of the public and experts attributed the poor turnout to rifts between the government and people here and to a sense that Iran's Arab neighbours have treated it unfairly.

In the assassination's immediate aftermath, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement saying: "The gangsters, the occupiers of Palestinian land (Israelis) should know that their stupid power bears testimony to their weakness and failure and the fake sovereignty and usurper regime of Zionists is bound for extinction. Palestine belongs to the Palestinian nation."

Almost all politicians, reformists and conservatives, followed suit.

But officials waited until March 29 - Friday, a day of prayer for Muslims - to organize a public show of condemnation for the killing of Sheikh Yassin and others on their way home from prayers at a mosque in Gaza City.

"The Iranian regime had to wait until Friday as it is the only day to exploit the worshippers for political rallies for or against something," said Majid Rahamani, an editor at the state-run television network.

Alireza Hussianabadi, a lieutenant in law enforcement, said public rallies had been postponed to accommodate Persian New Year observances.

"People are busy in their Eiddidani (visiting each others' homes in the holidays)," he said.

Some remained unconvinced.

"I think the regime waited to see the reactions in other Muslim countries and then decided how to orchestrate the demonstrations," said bank teller Hasan Salmasi who happened upon the rally with his 10-year-old son. "Even in Turkey, where secularism is strong and Israelis have economic and military interests, people on their own took to the streets."

Hasan said he had respect for Sheikh Yassin, whom he viewed as a freedom fighter, but would not take part in the rally, near Tehran University. "I do not bother myself to take part in anything choreographed by the government," he said.

Sohrab Radfar, a student preparing to sit the entrance examination for government universities, echoed the sentiment.

"As there are no viable and genuine NGOs in Iran, even paying homage to the heroes of other nations is entirely pre-planned by the government and security men," he said.

Others said Sheikh Yassin, the man they were asked to mourn, remained something of a mystery.

"It seems we have romanticized the sheikh's life," said Arash E'temadi, 23.

Arash and his 20-year-old girlfriend, Shirin, had skipped the rally to queue hand in hand for tickets to see 'Boutique', a popular film about a poor girl trying to flee Iran for the West.

Mahraz Behboud, a 17-year-old student from a high school for gifted girls, said she had not known Sheikh Yassin, was unmoved by his death, and disagreed with the official policy of siding with Palestinians.

"A nation should not waste its financial resources to support weak nations. Diplomatic relations ought to be based on strong ties with the powerful nation. Israel must be our strategic ally, not Palestine," she said.

Hermidas Bavand, Tehran's ambassador to the United Nations before Iran's monarchy fell to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, said enthusiasm for the Palestinian cause had waned among middle-class Iranians in part because of rifts between Tehran and its Arab neighbours. These were unrelated to Palestine but reinforced a sense of alienation.-Dawn/The InterPress News Service.

[aquart]

1. Persians ain't Arabs.

They have a different language and a different history.

And they never let you forget it.

I thought it was hysterically funny that the student identified Israel as a "strong nation." Israel's swift military responses are the actions of a weak nation. Strong nations can use other options, as we did with Iraq. Bush never grasped that concept either.

[teryang]

2. Flippant foreign policy zingers

...from youth, won't change political reality. But consumerism has consequences. So does having an invading Army on your front door step bitching about your nuclear power plans and preaching that you're next.