Zarif Offers Condolences on Death of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Former Chief

In a message on Sunday, Zarif paid tribute to the deceased for his lifetime devotion to the cause of Palestine.

Following is the text of the message, according to IFP news:

“In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

From Allah we are, and to Allah we shall return

“Among the believers are men true to what they promised to Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow, and among them is he who awaits (his chance). And they did not alter (the terms of their commitment) whatsoever.” (Verse 33, al-Ahzab Sura, the Holy Quran)

I was very saddened and deeply grieved to learn about the demise of Dr. Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, the (former) secretary general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement after a lifetime of struggles and fight and sincere efforts and devotion for the sake of the holy Palestinian cause and hold Quds.

With a long record of struggles and fight against the Zionist regime, he was a national and combatant personality on the Palestine arena. Under tough and hard circumstances, he, despite all dangers and threats, bravely and devotedly and bravely struggled and made sacrifices on the resistance front to secure the liberation of dear Palestine and holy Quds.

Moreover, Dr. Ramadan Abdullah was a down-to-earth, intellectual, scholarly and resourceful character who was fully aware of the trend of developments in the region and across the world. He was particularly concerned about, and paid due regard to the reinforcement of unity among people from all walks of life and Palestinian groups and in the world of Islam. He was always keen on, and cared about the progress and development of Islamic Iran as a supporter of oppressed Palestinian people.

I express condolences, on this great loss, to brave Palestinians from different walks of life, especially Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the new secretary general of the [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad Movement, and all his comrades in resistance groups as well as his respected family. I am confident that the memory of him, as a symbol of resistance and struggle, will remain in the minds of all freedom-seeking nations around the world, especially the Palestinian nation.”

The former head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement died at age 62 in a hospital where he was receiving medical treatment.

Shalah was born in Gaza in 1958 and became the head of the movement in 1995 after the assassination of Fathi Shaqaqi.

Ziad al-Nakhala was chosen to lead the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in 2018 because of Shalah’s illness.