Anti Zionist Rabbis Attend Funeral of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh in Doha

A delegation of Jewish rabbis from Neturei Karta attended the funeral of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in the Qatari capital Doha on Friday, August 2, 2024.

Haniyeh was assassinated on Wednesday in Tehran, in an attack blamed on Israel.

Neturei Karta condemned Haniyeh’s assassination in a statement on its website, saying, “This chain of tragic violence began with the introduction of Zionism and the occupation of Palestine.”

“This latest crime was committed amidst the ten-month-long genocide launched on the besieged Gaza, with tens of thousands killed in the brutal aggressive war, leading to a humanitarian disaster within the territory under siege,” the statement said.

“Our heartfelt condolences are extended to his family, to the Palestinian people, and to every single victim of the cycle of bloodshed in Palestine, which is caused only by the very existence of Zionism and the occupation of Palestine,” the statement concluded.

In a meeting with Jewish rabbis, Haniyeh had clarified his understanding of the distinction between Zionism and Jews.

“We do not consider Jews to be our enemies because they are Jews. The problem is with the occupation that occupied our land, sent our people into exile, and launched a war against us,” the late Haniyeh had told the rabbis.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Rabbi Weiss recalled the great meeting and discussion with Haniyeh and expressed his grief over the tragic passing of the Palestinian leader. The attendance of the Jewish rabbis was widely reported in Arab and international media and was well received as an act of sympathy and peace enhancement at a time when Zionists are doing everything in their power to increase conflict.