By BASHIR ADEFAKA
No fewer than 17 Nigerian organisations, coming together under a body called Coalition for Global Peace (CGP) have added their voices to the global widespread condemnations of Israel’s oppression of the people of Palestise, several thousands of whom have been unjustifiably killed and land occupied.
Worried by the ongoing escalation of the decades-long crisis between Israel and Palestine, the Coalition organised an emergency stakeholders’ meeting during the week and came up with a statement baring its mind on the development.
The CGP listed out nines areas of its observations which it described as troubling realities.
It stated that, “Israel, a creation of an uneven international politics championed by western powers, is the only country in the world today that brazenly practises colonialism and apartheid.
“Israel is the only settler country in the world that continues to treat the original inhabitants of its occupied land – Palestinians – in the most inhuman ways in violation of international laws.
“Perhaps, owing to the unjust nature of its establishment, Israel is the only country in the world that takes its neighbours as enemies. It builds psychological and physical walls rather than bridges of understanding and friendship.
“Israel is the only country in the world that openly disregards resolutions of the United Nations.
“Israel’s strongest backer, the United States, continues to show its unsuitability as an impartial arbiter in the Middle East crisis.
“The current Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, by his oppressive policies towards the hapless people of Palestine, has made the path of peace difficult.
“The United Nations is gradually becoming a lame-duck global platform that finds it difficult to guarantee global peace and security.
“The majority of western media, political leaders and public intellectuals continue to provide unconditional support to Israel and frame the perennial crisis as a just cause in favour of Israel.
“The crisis has witnessed a steep rise in the spread of fake news that were aimed at whipping up anti-Palestine sentiments on both conventional and social media.”
The 17-member Coalition for Global Peace, therefore, “Declares its support for the right of the oppressed people of Palestine to self determination.
“Calls on the international community led by the United Nations to take urgent steps to de-escalate the crisis and enforce a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestine.
“Calls on Israel to respect the rights of the people of Palestine and put a halt to the humanitarian crisis that its unjust policies have imposed on Palestinians.
“Calls for investigation of reports of violation of international laws on both sides and bring perpetrators to justice
“Urges the United States to review its disposition to the Middle East crisis and prove to the world that it is a fair arbiter.
“Urges the United Nations to live up to its mandate as the guarantor of global peace and security.
“Urges African nations, especially Nigeria, to sustain their solidarity with the people of Palestine with whom they share the burdensome experience of colonialism.
“Appeals to the international community to facilitate the resumption of negotiation towards the actualisation of the two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
“Appeals to people of conscience around the world to sustain the advocacy for the freedom of Palestine, the last vestige of colonialism in the world.
“Appeals to journalists, politicians, religious leaders, social media influencers and other opinion moulders to verify the sources of their news as a mark of their commitment to global peace,” the CGP said.
Groups, which endorsed the statement, included Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), Da’wah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN), Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Women in Da’wah, National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (MULAN) and the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN).
Other organisations, which endorsed the CGP’s statement were the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Al-Usrah Inc, Al-Furqaan Nigeria, Muslim Public Affairs Centre, Nigeria (MPAC), The Muslim Congress (TMC), Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), Muslims in National Development (MIND), Islamic Impact Centre (IIC) and Centre for Global Peace Initiative (CGPI)
