Younes Hamami Lalehzar, a prominent leader of Iran's Jewish community, spoke out against Israel and issued a harsh statement criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the actions of the IDF in Lebanon and Gaza, according to a report on Thursday.
He praised Iran’s attacks on Israel and expressed his prayers for the well-being of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Hamami, who attended an event this week alongside representatives of Neturei Karta, the haredi Jewish sect which opposes the contemporary state of Israel, to commemorate the first Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, condemned what he called Israeli “aggression” against Hamas and Hezbollah. He also commended the launch of 181 rockets and missiles toward Israel last week.
Hamami opened his letter with a verse from Psalms: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." He went on to write: “It is a matter of great pride and honor that the guards and armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, under the command of the Supreme Leader, have powerfully defended the territorial integrity of our beloved country in response to the unreasonable insolence of the Zionist regime."
He also had strong words for Israel’s leader. "This is an unforgettable lesson for Netanyahu and his foolish supporters, on my behalf and on behalf of my fellow countrymen. We fully support the Supreme Leader’s brilliant actions, his courageous stances in defense of the oppressed on the resistance front, and the leadership of Friday prayers in Tehran, which, as always, has been a source of unity and cohesion among all the people of Iran," according to Hamami.
In closing, Hamami wrote: "We stand behind all the armed forces working tirelessly to protect the rights of the Iranian nation. I express my deepest gratitude and respect and, with God’s help, I will pray for a long life, health and safety for the Leader (Khamenei) in his position of leadership, the pride of the nation and the state of Iran."
This is not the first time Hamami has spoken out strongly against Israel. In July, he told Iranian state media that there is no antisemitism in his country, attributing this to “the separation of Judaism from Zionism by the leaders of the revolution, a policy that continues under the current leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.”
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