*Demands Palestine must be supported with weapons for self-defence while peace-talk lasts
*Says America must be stopped from vetoing UN resolutions for curbing Israel
*Nigerians say ‘Enough is Enough!’ ‘Let Arab World rise in support of Palestine!’
*Bemoans world’s most powerful America supporting oppressor-Israel against oppressed Palestine
*Clarifies who enemies of Palestinians are, ‘not Christians, not Jews but Zionists’
*The West will always support Israeli oppression because they are birds of the same feathers – Adangba
*Real reason Isreal is fighting Muslims, Christians, Jews is Zionism – Balogun
*What concerns Muslims about Palestine – Ayolo, Shaffi
*As Shafii recalls Buhari as President was loud about 2-state solution
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“What the world is saying is not condemnation of Jew but Zionists. There is a difference between the two. The Jewish people believe in Torah. Zionists are atheists. They say there is no God but we (Muslims) know, the Christians know and Jews also know that there is God that exists and never dies and has power over everything. So that is what we are saying.”
The Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) rose from its comfort zone of Nigeria, on Tuesday, with an affirmative demand for immediate stop to United States of America-backed Israeli government’s terrorism against the innocent and defenceless people particularly women and children of Palestine, who are being killed daily by despite illegal occupation of their land.
The CIO stated this as one of its numerous demands at a press conference, held in Lagos, where it expressed dismay that a country touted to be the most powerful like America, which should be seen as standing with and supporting the oppressed against their oppressors, is itself prominently backing the oppressors to further perpetrate their oppression against the oppressed as seen daily with Israel, fully and deliberately equipped with high caliber weapons, against the defenceless Palestinians leaving them with nothing to defend themselves.
CIO leaders in attendance at Tuesday’s press conference included its Secretary General, Engr. Luqman Balogun; Mufti, Sheikh Zikrullahi Shaffi; Sheikh AbdulRahman Adangba; Amir Qamardeen Ajala; Sheikh Daud Miqdad Ayolo, and leaders of several other Islamic groups including the Sumratul Mu’meen, the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, The Muslim Congress (TMC).
“The world must stop Israel now to prevent yet another human catastrophe in Gaza, which has also seen the exodus of over 1.1 million Palestinians evacuated to the southern part of the besieged territory ahead of Israel’s ground invasion,” the CIO made affirmative statement.
Redeemed Church’s backing
In the press conference address of the Secretary General of the Conference of Islamic Organisations, Engr. Luqman Balogun, the coalition of several Islamic organisations in the country replied the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and its General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adeboye over their position backing the terrorism of Israel against defenceless Palestine, thinking that the Israelis in this activities are Christians.
Although neither Redeemed Church nor Adeboye was mentioned in the address, Engr. Balogun, who is also an Islamic cleric, educated people with such impression that Israeli authorities oppressing defenceless Palestinians are Christians helping to fight Islam, saying they are neither Christians nor Jews but, seriously speaking, Zionists who respect the right of nobody, be it Christian, Muslim or Jew.
Beginning his address, the CIO’s chief scribe said, “The onslaughts by Israeli forces in the form of ceaseless and repeated bombing of Gaza is deliberately targeted at defenseless and innocent Palestinians, leading to huge loss of lives. As at the time of this press conference today Tuesday, October 17, no fewer than 2,750 Palestinians have been killed, including over 950 children and over 500 women, while over 9700 have sustained various degrees of injuries.”
While acknowledging and condoling over “casualty on the side of Israel too”, Engr Balogun said, “Just as we sympathise with our brothers, sisters and children who lost their lives, our hearts go to the families of the innocent Israelis who died in the war.”
He, however, pointed out that “the root cause of this carnage is the occupation by Israel and its refusal to obey international laws, especially those calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“Invariably, the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict is a continuation of the injustice that has been ongoing for more than 70 years (close to a century) against the Palestinians on their own soil. Apart from forceful ejection and continuous illegal expansion of settlements deemed illegal under international law, Israel has over the years wreaked havoc on Palestinians, including cruel murder of innocent citizens – young and old.
“It’s even more depressing that the international community has remained powerless in the face of this decades-long wicked oppression and repression by Israel which has violated its rules and resolutions on several occasions, including the displacement of Palestinians from their lands during times of war, which has been widely condemned as a form of ethnic cleansing.
UN Security Council 242
“The United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, adopted unanimously in November 1967, calls for the withdrawal of Israel from territories occupied during the six-day war, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. This resolution affirms the principle of “land for peace” as a means to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.
“Additionally, the Fourth Geneva Convention, ratified by most countries, including Israel, prohibits the occupying power from transferring its population into the territories it occupies. This serves as an important safeguard against the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which undermines the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
“But, Israel with the unwavering support of the US, has violated this resolution and other resolutions of the United Nations without facing any real consequences. The continuous building of settlements deemed illegal under international laws is a case in point. Another is the failure to meet its obligation as an occupying force charged with ensuring the protection and safety of those under its rule of which Israel has obeyed much in breach than in compliance. Just in August 2023, the Norwegian Refugee Council reported the disappearance of 500 Palestinian individuals from seven communities in few months as illegal settlement expansion and settler violence went unchecked.
“The Gaza Strip, which has always been the epicenter of unending crises has been under Israeli siege for nearly two decades. Israel, with the support of the United State since 2006/2007 has blockaded the enclave from air, sea and land, isolating its nearly 2 million residents on a tiny patch of land. This siege by Israel has not only devastated the economy of Gaza, but has also led to what the UN has called the “de-development” of the world’s largest open-air prison.”
Refusing to join in the tag of ‘terrorist’ against Hamas, the CIO Secretary General, Engr. Luqman Balogun, told the press conference why actions of Hamas cannot be wholly condemned, adding that it will only be unfair to call a group of people, who were democratically elected by their own people to resist on their behalf 75-year-old West-backed Israel’s oppression against defenceless Palestinians.
“Therefore, since the international community has remained aloof on the turn of events, the action of Hamas in resisting the excesses of Israel cannot be wholly condemned. After all, there was no State of Israel in that region until May 14 1948, when the Zionist forces, through the support of the British government, forcefully created a home for the Jewish people on Palestinian land.”
Our demands
Listing out the CIO’s demands to global entities endowed with the capacity to play roles in putting a stop to what he called the inhumane tragedy unfolding “before our eyes”, Engr. Balogun who started with call to United Nations said:
“Since Israel has declared a full-blown war on Palestine, killing children, women, the aged and the vulnerable; and since the US has deployed the largest flotilla to support a known nuclear nation with more weapons, we urge all supporters of Palestinians to go beyond providing humanitarian relief.
“For balance of power, they should rather provide weapons of war for the Palestinians and their liberators, the HAMAS. After all, like Israelis, Palestinians too have a right to defend themselves while the war rages. What is going on at present is not just a war actually, it is a pogrom, a massacre, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians on their land.”
He continued, “The United Nations has truly failed the world. On the issue of Palestine, it has exposed itself as pro-West, a Western puppet that has become a toothless bull dog, always helpless whenever US interest is at stake and whenever Israel flouted its rules. The UN should therefore strive to redeem its image.
“The UN must find an alternative way of conducting a true peace process which takes into consideration the aspiration for a sovereign Palestinian state. And for now, peace must be enforced.
“The international community led by the UN must retrieve the peace process from the monopoly of the United States which has become part of the Israeli occupation machinery.
“We appreciate the Nigerian government for calling on both sides to de-escalate and embrace peace and dialogue. The Nigerian Senate should pass a bill that will scale down our diplomatic relations with Israel for its war crimes and for turning a blind eye to all UN Resolutions.
“We call on the Arab Nations, Muslim world, as well as government and leaders with conscience to exert pressure that will change the apartheid character of the Zionist Israel and make it conform to international laws and norms.
“We call on the Arab nations, especially the Gulf states in the Middle East who have already normalised relations with Israel to terminate it subsequently, and for those who are working towards it to halt it, in honour of their brothers in Palestine who are being killed indiscriminately by the occupation forces of Israel.
“We also want to say unequivocally that Hamas isn’t a terrorist organisation as it has been labeled by some countries and the media. They are freedom fighters or a resistance group that was democratically elected in Gaza Strip. They are the custodians of Masjid Al-Aqsa, Muslims’ third holiest Mosque.
“We appreciate those among the Arab countries, especially in the OIC who have provided humanitarian supports for Gaza since the beginning of the war. They act in unison to deter Israel from it’s naked aggression. They should as well support Palestinians with weapons and munitions to defend themselves, families and land, the same way the US has openly declared support and even provided humanitarian and warfare supports for Israel.
“We appeal to corporate entities and high net-worth individuals to divest from Israeli companies found complicit in the occupation ongoing in Palestine.
“We also call on all men and women of conscience to the role they have to play at the critical juncture – by boycotting “made from Israel” or “made in Israel” products, and of course, products made by entities funding Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, a leader of the CIO, Sheikh AbdulRahman Adamgba, had noted that because war leads to no good for both sides, there should “be two-state solution for peace to reign”.
Questions asked, answered
During questions and answers session, it was asked if the leaders think what has happened between Israel and Palestine for 75 years was a two-fighter situation considering that it is criminal for Palestinian to carry a knife but legal for Israel to roll out armoured tanks in the area. Another question is about the non-committed and non-open action against Israel by Arab World leaders.
Answering, the CIO as a group believes that the situation in between Israel and Palestine is not a case of fighting between two groups but a case oppression between the oppressor and the oppressed.
Sheikh Adangba explained while the West would also be on the bad side of any situation supporting oppression and aggression and defended the seeming silence of the Arab World leaders.
Sheikh Adangba explained that, “The West would support and not condemn Israel because they are birds of the same feathers,” adding that it was the reason Europeans would go to everywhere and anywhere they go, they are only concerned about themselves as they create crisis, apartheid, which is exactly what Zionist ideology is about like it is seen in the activities of the authorities of Israel and those that are backing them from the West.
“Why are they supporting Ukraine against Russia? Because Russia breaks out of being called Western nation. Again the West will always support aggression because they derive benefits from creating crisis all over the world.
“Arabs are not loudly heard because they are Muslims. They are tied down by Islamic injunctions which say ‘Do not take revenge, if you kill one you have punishment here and on the day of judgment’. So, they will only fight after their patience and peace undertaken peace efforts have been exhausted and, at that point, you can be sure that they will fight to finish and they will excel.”
Sheikh Adangba said Arab World have been talking about the situation in Palestine. “They have been warning against escalation of the situation. They have not been keeping quiet. When their patience is exhausted and the only option that is left to them is to go to war, then they will rise and fight,” he said.
In his own version of answering, Engr. Luqman Balogun sought to separate Arab World people from Arab World governments. He made it clear that all Arabs all over the world are in full support of Palestine. “It is only their governments that are not talking because of what they want to gain, not from Israel but, from backers of Israel despite its aggression against Palestinians. America that is the most powerful country in the world, that should support the oppressed is itself supporting the oppressor.
“What the world is saying is not condemnation of Jew but Zionists. There is a difference between the two. The Jewish people believe in Torah. Zionists are atheists. So nobody is campaigning against the Jews. In fact we have seen all over the world Jewish people of conscience standing up in support of Palestine against Israel. So, be clear.
“We are talking against the Zionists, those who are Godless and who have decided to go against everything that is prescribed in Torah, in Injeel that is in the gospel, in the old testament and in the Qur’an. They are doing as they like. They say there is no God but we (Muslims) know, the Christian know and Jews also know that there is God that exists and never dies and has power over everything. So that is what we are saying.”
On boycott against products whose proceeds are used to support the Zionist oppressor Israel, Balogun defended the CIO’s stand saying, “Because many companies are taking their profits to support the Zionist and we are saying that you as a human being, not only as a Muslim or as an Arab, you have the obligation to boycott these products so that the profits those companies are making to fund the cruel persecution of Palestinians will stop. That is the essence.”
What concerns Muslims about Palestine – Ayolo, Shaffi
Sheikh Daud Ayolo said although the press conference was held in Nigeria but that, considering the fact the people being killed by Israel including their women and children are largely custodians of the third holiest site of Muslims and so “we are concerned”.
In his closing remarks, Mufti of the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), Sheikh Zikrullahi Shaffi, replied to those who asked “what concerns us about Palestine?”
The astute Islamic scholar said, “One, the Qur’an says all believers are brothers to one another. When Palestinians (Muslims and Christians) are sad, we are sad. When they are happy we are happened (although for 75 years they have never been happy).
“Two, the mosque of Aqsa is third holies site of Muslims and it is in Jerusalem. We cannot be happy that Zionists (who are Godless) are fighting our brothers (Muslims and Christians) in order to turn the holy site to place for drinking alcohol and doing sorts of promiscuity.
“Three is that our brothers in Palestine want to hear our voices from other part of the world for those that have powers in the world to stop their daily oppression by America-based heavily equipped Israel. This is what concerns us and this is why we are talking,” he explained.
Shaffi added that even South Africans, whose country cannot be linked to much of the religious concerns, have spoken asking their government to withdraw South African Ambassador from Tel Aviv, send Israeli Ambassador of South Africa and withdraw its patronage of all products made from or made by people known to be in support of Israel until Israel stop its oppression of Palestine and two-state solution to the problem is institutionalized.
“For those saying how can we ask for weapons for Palestine to support themselves when the weapons of Israel can be overpowering”, Sheikh Zikrullahi Shaffi said, “That is not our Islam.” References were made to how believers in the time of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) defeated their arrogant enemy army, despite being faced in their lower number of 300 against the enemy army of over 1,000 soldiers and heavier weapons.
The CIO mufti was said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu went to attend the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) but failed to mention the issue of Palestine.
“When Buhari was President, each time he went to UN summit, he always talked about peace and two-state solution in the Middle-East for the recognition of the State of Palestine.
“But our current President Bola Tinubu went to UN summit and did not mention Palestine’s plight,” Shaffi, who gave his remarks in Yoruba, said.
