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“Jerusalem will not remain hostage to Zionist practices, policies, and projects, and the Palestinians will not be left alone to defend Jerusalem,” Haniyeh said.

In a recent interview, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh threatened Israel with escalation if the Jewish state carried out any “foolish act.”

Boasting about Hamas’ “strategic relationship” with Iran, Hezbollah and “many (others) in the region,” he said, “It is no secret that Iran played a very important role” in building the force that was seen during the recent round of fighting with Israel.”

“Jerusalem will not remain hostage to Zionist practices, policies, and projects, and the Palestinians will not be left alone to defend Jerusalem,” he said.

Indeed, the May escalation with Hamas began when Palestinian Arabs in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of the Israeli capital launched violent riots in response to eviction orders in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where private property owners are seeking to recover possession of their land from squatters and tenants who have not paid rent for decades.