(NewsNation) — A former Hamas leader has called for protests in support of Palestinians and urged Arab leaders to support Palestinians during the war in Israel.
Khaled Meshaal led Hamas between 1992 and 2012, surviving an assassination attempt by Israel’s intelligence arm, Mossad, before stepping down. Based in Qatar, he specifically called on the governments of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt to support Palestinians, saying they had a responsibility to do so.
In New York City, the New York Police Department increased security over fears about global protests in response to Meshaal’s comments.
The latest conflict between the two began Saturday with an unprecedented attack by Hamas, during which militants broke through the border barrier that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel and attacked settlements near Gaza. The militants attacked civilians and soldiers, taking between 100 and 150 people hostage.
In response to the attack, Israel declared war on Hamas, laying siege to Gaza and launching heavy air strikes. The country has vowed not to allow food, fuel or water into Gaza until Hamas releases the hostages, despite international groups calling for humanitarian corridors to allow aid for the civilians unable to leave due to the 16-year Israeli and Egyptian blockade.
While Western leaders have strongly condemned the Hamas attack and offered support to Israel, they have also urged the government to avoid escalating the conflict over fears that it could erupt into a larger regional war.
While President Joe Biden has reiterated his commitment to Israel and called the attack “sheer evil,” in private calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he reportedly emphasized the need for the country to adhere to the rules of war and avoid civilian casualties.
Middle Eastern leaders have had mixed responses to the attack, which came as the Biden administration has been urging Saudi Arabia to join other Arab nations in normalizing relations with Israel. Iran and Syria have made statements, and in Lebanon, the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah also expressed support. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Iraq expressed support for the Palestinian people without referencing Hamas.
Jordan has already seen pro-Palestine protests in Amman, after which King Abdullah said no peace was possible without an independent Palestinian state.
Protests in support of Palestine and Israel have also erupted across the U.S. In the wake of Meshaal’s comments, New York City ordered all police to report for duty. Overseas, the Pentagon is also concerned about attacks on U.S. troops from groups aligned with Hamas, increasing the potential for an escalating conflict.