“International Jerusalem Day 2020” A Pro-Iranian Coalition Show of Force vs. Israel
On May 22nd, 2020 the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a British pro-Iranian organization, held an online conference, broadcasted on Facebook and YouTube to commemorate the “International Jerusalem Day” (IJD). The event was made possible due to the support of over 100 pro-Iranian organizations around the world and was meant to present an intercontinental show of force, put the Palestinian issue on the international agenda and justify the struggle against Israel on the political and military levels. The event was embraced by the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, dubbed it a proof that there was a global resistance to the Zionist regime.
Since the Islamic revolution in 1979 and the rise to power of Khomeini Iran and its proxies have been commemorating an annual “International Jerusalem Day” on the last Friday of Ramadan. The event is aimed first and foremost to promote Iranian interests and the export of the Islamic revolution beyond Iran via the widest common denominator based on Jerusalem’s holiness in Sunni Islam. Commemorating IJD strives to achieve two major goals: Solidarity with the Palestinian suffering and highlighting the “Zionist occupation” and the need to unite and bring its downfall and termination. This year IJD has an additional meaning because it fell amid an American initiative to implement the “Deal of the Century” which the Iranian and Palestinians summarily rejected. Hence, from the organizers point of view it was important to create visibility for the event in cyberspace because of limitations on free movement due to COVID-19 around the world and inability to hold demonstrations. In light of the above the event was held almost exclusively online, a first in its 41 years.
