From Beirut to Sanaa: How Iran Exploited the Palestinian Cause to Tear Apart Arab Nations?

In an increasingly complex political landscape, the truths are becoming clear to the Arab peoples. Lofty slogans no longer mask the true agendas of the Iranian regime and its proxies in the region. Under the banner of resistance and the Palestinian cause—a long-standing symbol of Arab struggle—this cause has been transformed into a tool to achieve expansionist interests that have no real connection to supporting the Palestinian people. 

A fundamental question arises: Did Arab capitals need destruction and division to raise the flag of Palestine, or was the exploitation of the cause merely a cover for other projects? And what has the Palestinian people gained from the slogans raised in their name?

Amid the conflicts and developments in the region, it has become evident that the Iranian axis forces are using the Palestinian cause as a pretext to achieve their expansionist agendas, with no real connection to supporting the Palestinian people.

Vague slogans, even when dressed in political rhetoric, have become a means of exploiting the Palestinian cause. However, the peoples of the Middle East and their national leaders are no longer fooled by these claims, especially in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, where their systems have been systematically targeted, leading their peoples to make sacrifices on the altar of sectarian projects.

The Destruction of Beirut and the Ruin of Damascus

This perspective is affirmed by the recently elected Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, in a statement during the emergency Arab summit held in Cairo to discuss the Israeli escalation against the Gaza Strip. He said, "The destruction of Beirut, the ruin of Damascus, and the instability of Sanaa are not in support of Palestine."

Aoun, whose country breathed a sigh of relief after decades of sectarianism led by Hezbollah, Iran's arm in Lebanon, under the pretext of supporting the Palestinian cause, added: "When Beirut is occupied, Damascus is destroyed, Amman is threatened, Baghdad groans, or Sanaa falls, it is impossible for anyone to claim that this is in support of Palestine."

Although this awakening came late, it served as a lifeline for some countries, particularly Lebanon and Syria, which have managed to regain part of their sovereignty after their capitals were among four capitals previously claimed by Tehran to be under its influence.

The experiences of Lebanon and Syria serve as a model that compels other countries suffering under the weight of the Iranian project, especially in Yemen and Iraq, to take responsibility for freeing themselves from this influence, which hides behind the slogan of "resistance."

Exploiting the Palestinian Cause

In this context, observers told "Khabar" agency that Iran, which has presented itself as the "protector of resistance," has not been content with raising slogans of support for the Palestinian cause. Instead, it has exploited this title to expand its regional influence through its proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, where it has supported armed militias that have destroyed the social and political fabric of these countries.

The observers point out that Hezbollah in Lebanon has tightened its grip on political and economic decision-making, leading to the collapse of the state, while it has rarely launched rockets toward Israel compared to its internal operations against political opponents.

In Iraq, Iran-backed factions have become a force above the state, controlling the security and economic landscape, assassinating opponents, and imposing their agenda by force, while the Iraqi people suffer from corruption and economic collapse.

Although these factions raise the slogan of "liberating Jerusalem," they have not provided any practical support to the Palestinians. Instead, they have engaged in internal repression and liquidation operations that serve Iranian interests.

In Yemen, the Houthi militia has exploited Iranian support to wage a bloody war, leading to one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world, while continuing to raise the slogan "Death to America and Israel." Meanwhile, its military attacks in the Red Sea have not achieved any tangible results against U.S. naval forces deployed in the region, except for multiplying the economic burdens on neighboring countries.

Observers note that this militia has not directed any direct escalation toward Israel except for political propaganda, while its primary focus has been on controlling Yemen and destroying its social fabric, with covert support from Iran and Russia.

Weakening Arab Nations

Observers agree that this approach shows that Iran has never been genuinely concerned with liberating Palestine. Instead, it has sought to exploit the cause to legitimize its interventions in Arab countries, with catastrophic results. It has left behind destroyed Arab capitals, divided peoples, and societies plunged into chaos, while the Palestinian cause is used as a political tool to gain legitimacy and confuse the regional landscape.

They reiterate that the exploitation of the Palestinian cause has been exposed. It is illogical to destroy Arab capitals and undermine the sovereignty of states under the pretext of confronting Israel, even if the declared goal is "supporting Palestine." The reality shows that Arab peoples have paid the heaviest price for these projects, while the Palestinians remain alone on the battlefield, struggling with nothing but hollow rhetoric that offers them no real benefit.