‘Why Muslims, Christians must speak up for Palestinians’

Speakers at the 2024 Aqsa Day organised by the Muslim Awareness International (MAI) have condemned the ongoing Israeli genocidal war in Gaza which has claimed the lives of over 40,000 Palestinians mostly women and children as a violation of human rights.

He described what is going on in Palestine as the genocide of our time, saying there is nothing that has not been targeted. “Men, women and children have been killed, butchered and murdered. Christians have been targeted. Muslims have been targeted. Mosques have been blown up. Churches have been blown up. It’s unbelievable.

“Whether you are a Christian or Muslim, you have a right and duty to speak up for the people of Palestine, to remember that children are being killed daily, and to resist the evil zionist state that is predicated on apartheid and believes everybody else should be destroyed.”
   
In his remarks, the Grand Mufti of Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), Sheikh Dhikrullahi Shafi’i, emphasised the role of prayer in the ongoing struggle for a free Palestine. The Islamic scholar charged Muslims to continue to remember the plights of Palestinians in their prayers.
   
While speaking on the topic: “Our Role to Complete Freedom of Palestine”, Sheikh Shafi’I lamented that the Palestinians have been deprived of necessities of life since 2007.
  
He urged the Nigerian government not to remain neutral on the issue, but to make it stand known whether for or against the sufferings of the Palestinians. Sheikh Shafi’i who highlighted ways by which Nigerian Muslims can contribute to the freedom of Palestine, said, understanding the issue was vital, urged the Muslims to show concern for the plight of Palestinians by talking about it consistently.

MAI also called on people and government institutions to key into the boycott campaign against companies that directly and indirectly enable Israel’s actions. “It is time for the world’s people to stand up and demand an end to this injustice. One of the most effective ways to do this is through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to economically isolate Israel and the companies that support its apartheid policies.
  
“By withdrawing our economic support, we send a clear message that the world will not tolerate genocide and systematic oppression. As individuals, we must key into this campaign, boycotting companies that directly or indirectly enable Israel’s actions, and advocating for governments and institutions to do the same.”