AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
Religious leaders, politicians, academicians of different hues on Thursday, urged the Government of India to use its influence to bring an immediate halt to the Israeli attacks in Palestinian territories and find a permanent solution to the more than seven-decade-old Palestinian crisis by creating an independent Palestine.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Palestine, these leaders at a conference here passed a resolution saying that “the continuous settlement in new localities of the Palestinian territories and the continuous desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other such aggressive policies is a clear violation of all international laws are the biggest roadblock in the way of sustained peace and order in the region.”
The conference was organized jointly by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind(JUH), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind(JIH), and Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadis, at the Constitution Club of India.
Setting the tone of the conference, JIH president Syed Sadatullah Husaini said that the Palestinians had been facing continuous atrocities for seventy-five years. “Their land is grabbed, their areas are evacuated, their houses are bombarded, women and children are killed, hospitals are targeted and even schools and UN Shelters are not spared from bombarding,” he pointed out in reference to the killing of more than 500 Palestinians in the latest bombing of a Christian missionary hospital in Gaza where hundreds of injured persons were under treatment.
Stating that Palestinians were witnessing extreme barbarism on a daily basis by Israel, he said that “to keep silent on atrocities of such a scale on civilians is a crime against humanity.”
“What Israel is doing in Palestine, is a total violation of all values of a civilized world,” he commented.
Stating that the issue of Palestine is the epitome of imperialism, the JIH chief said: “The imperialism being faced by the people of Palestine is the same as was faced by the American and Indian people. It is also an extreme level of human rights violation. No other power has violated the human rights of any country as Israel has done to the Palestinians. Even dictators have not violated human rights to this level.”
As Indians had launched a freedom struggle to liberate India from the clutches of the British imperialists, the Palestinians are also fighting to liberate their country from Israeli occupation. As Palestinians have been daily atrocities by Israeli forces and frequent vandalization of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place of Islam in Jerusalem, the Palestinian fighters launched an attack inside the Israeli territories on October 7.
But the Israeli retaliation that came subsequently, is disproportionate amounts to genocide. More than 3500 Palestinians, including 1,000 children have been killed in continued attacks by Israel since October 7. Israel has now blocked Gaza and other Palestinian areas and not allowing even humanitarian aid inside the Palestinian territories.
Pointing out that Israel was following the policy of apartheid and indulging in racial segregation of the Palestinians, the Jamaat leader said that “the struggle of the Palestinian people is like that of Nelson Mandela.”
“All the values in which the modern world takes pride, are being violated in Palestine,” he remarked.
He said, “It is a matter of misfortune that the US, Europe, and other Western forces who claim to be the flag bearers of human values are standing with Israel at this juncture. Their hands are involved in human rights violations in Palestine. They are involved in racial discrimination.”
“The issue of Palestine has exposed the hypocrisy of the Western world. This has proved that they are not the flag bearers of human rights. Had they been true flag bearers then they must have not tolerated the bombardment of hospitals, schools, and children. Had they been the true champions of democracy, they would not have tolerated the violation of democratic values in Palestine,” Mr. Husaini elaborated.
“Had the Western forces opposed the apartheid, the situation in Palestine would not have been what it is today. The issue of Palestine is a test for the entire humanity,” he observed.
“Our country (India) has always been opposed to the imperialism. Our freedom fight is a noted example of anti-imperialism. So, we need to tell our countrymen that the struggle carried out by Gandhiji and Nehruji is being furthered by the people of Palestine. The struggle carried out by Nelson Mandela to get rid of apartheid and racial discrimination is being continued by the people of Palestine. The people of Palestine are simply continuing the struggle that was carried out by the people of America for their freedom,” the JIH leader remarked.
“If we want to protect human values, we will have to stand with the people of Palestine and raise a strong voice against the atrocities of Israel. This is not an issue of just a country but an issue of entire humanity,” Mr Husaini suggested, adding that it was the reason why India always supported Palestine.
He said that Gandhiji used to say that “Palestine belongs to Palestinians as England belongs to the English people.”
Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadis president Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mahdi said that India’s relations with the Arabs were very old and varied. “India can play its role as Vishws Guru in the crisis of Palestine if it plays its role properly and adequately,” he suggested.
Former Rajya Sabha MP K C Tyagi stated that when Israel came into being 1948, it controlled only six percent of the land and the rest of the land was with Palestinians. Now only 7 percent land is with the Palestinians.
“There are war crimes being committed in Palestine that transgress all the past crimes. We are against any violence against humanity. We are against the barbarity of Israel in Palestine. Violence and war is not solution to any problem,” Mr Tyagi declared.
JIH vice-president Prof Mohammad Salim Engineer that they should write a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra mentioning our concerns and stand on the issue of Palestine.
“We should also try to meet our foreign minister in a delegation to tell him that the Indian government should play its part in stopping violence in Palestine,” he suggested.
Prof. Salim expressed concern over using the Israeli attacks on Palestine for religious polarization in the country. “I am not saying that the government is doing this but ignoring this, is no less dangerous. The Indian reporters from Tel Aviv are sending such reports which are being used to communalise the environment. They are polluting our environment. It is the responsibility of the government to stop this,” Prof. Salim stated.
Others who spoke at the conference included JUH president Maulana Mahmood Madani, Lok Sabha MP Kunwar Danish Ali, Arya Samaj leader Prof Vithal Rao, Prof. Adiyta Nigam, Prof Shashi Shekhar Singh and Christian leader John Dayal.