Iranians are Israelis' 'greatest defenders' despite regime's praise of Hamas: Israeli journalist
Israeli-American journalist Emily Schrader said many Iranians across the world support Israel despite the Islamic Republic celebrating Hamas's attack on the Jewish state.
Many people in Iran and the Iranian diaspora are standing up in support of Israel, despite the Islamic Republic's praise of the Hamas-led terror attack on Israelis, an activist and journalist said.
"It's just been incredible to see that these people who have been told that they're our enemies are, in fact, not at all," Emily Schrader, an Israeli-American journalist, told Fox News Digital. "They're our greatest defenders and their greatest allies. I have nothing but love for the people of Iran and I think I can speak for the majority, if not all of Israeli citizens as well."
Israel declared war on Hamas after the terror group launched a wide-scale attack on the Jewish state last weekend. On Friday, Israeli officials said over 1,300 Israeli civilians were killed by Hamas, while Palestinian authorities said over 1,500 Palestinians died from Israel's retaliatory strikes.
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Iran is a known backer of Hamas and praised the attacks on Israel. The State Department has stated in the past that Iran provides some $100 million a year to Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Since the initial attack, Schrader said she has received many condolences from Iranians across the world, including in Iran.
"It's been really, really moving to see how much the Iranian community, even inside of Iran, is supporting Israel," she said.
Iranians in major cities like Berlin, Paris, Toronto, Rome and San Diego hosted pro-Israel rallies to show support for the Jewish people.
"They're active on social media speaking out against Hamas, in favor of Israel and Israel's right to self-defense," Schrader said. "Because they understand the reality of what Hamas actually is, of what Islamic Jihad in Gaza actually is, and they don't want that for any other people."
Iranians in Toronto, Canada hold a pro Israel rally following the terror group Hamas attacking the Jewish state. (Courtesy of Emily Schafer)
While Israeli-Iranian relations have deteriorated to the point of enemy nations, Schrader said the history of their friendship dates back farther than the current hostility for one another.
Iran was the second Muslim country to recognize Israel as a sovereign state in 1949, and after the installation of a pro-Western Iranian leader in 1953, the two countries became strategic allies on issues involving trade and joint military projects.
The Islamic Revolution of 1979 resulted in the replacement of the Imperial State of Iran with the present-day Islamic Republic of Iran, and contributed to the rise of many Jihadi movements and conflicts between Islamic and Western civilizations.
After the Islamic Republic was established, Iran’s leadership adopted a strong anti-Israel stance, cut off all official relations with the former ally and declared it an "enemy of Islam."
The majority of Iranian people still favor freedom and democracy "but are brutally subjugated by an anti-Western religious theocracy," according to the U.S. State Department website.
Schrader said many Iranians in Iran and the diaspora see Israel as an ally against the brutal Islamic Republic regime. (Courtesy of Emily Schrader)
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"The reality on the ground in Iran is that they're very pro-Israel," Schrader told Fox News. "They look to Israel as an example, and they want Israel to help them as well. So any attack on Israel, they take very personally."
In Sept. 2022 Iranians took to the streets to protest against the Islamic Republic regime following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being arrested by the morality police for violating mandatory dress code.
Over the last year Schrader has been involved with the Women, Life, Freedom movement, which advocates for regime change in Iran. She has organized protests in countries across the globe, including Israel, to stand in solidarity with Iranians seeking freedom from the Islamic Republic regime.
Schrader has organized protests in countries across the globe, including Israel, to stand in solidarity with Iranians seeking freedom from the Islamic Republic regime. (JACK GUEZ / Contributor)
"This is to motivate the people of Iran and to show them and to show the world that we stand with them in their pursuit for freedom," Schrader said. "That regardless of Israel and its conflict with the Iranian government, the people of Israel stand united with the people of Iran."
She said in order to stabilize the Middle East and restore peace with the West, the Islamic Republic must go.
"The reality is we're not going to see a change in Israel-Iran relations until there is a regime change," Schrader said. "But when there is a regime change, there will be peace the next day. Iranians and Israelis will be the best of friends, publicly and openly once again."