التاريخ : الأربعاء 04 فبراير 2009 . القسم : Media Statements
MB Chair To the Arab-Islamic People
Egyptian people..
Arab and Islamic people..
Free people of the world and live humanitarian conscience
The criminal offensive in Gaza has not ended. Since the Israelis were forced to stop their military offensive without achieving any of their goals, a few military harassments here and there within the strip have continued and Israeli leadership threats of resuming the offensive and using unlimited force are escalating as Knesset elections near. As if leadership can only be attained at the expense of the skulls of children and women and Palestinian blood, a matter which warns of a new massacre ahead.
In essence, the Palestinian issue is that of decades of racist and settlement-style Israeli occupation of the land of Palestine during which the Israelis carried out brutal and criminal massacres against the Palestinian people, destructive operations, and driving out of Palestinians from their home, land, and property leaving most of them displaced faraway. Despite the legitimacy of the right to resist occupation given by all laws and legislations, the oppressive Western powers, which had enabled Israeli control over Palestine and continue to protect and grant them all forms of support, consider this right of Palestinians as unlawful and, in fact, as terrorism; and despite the right of self-determination being a basic right for all people of the world, the Palestinian people alone are denied this right; and despite the right of return being endorsed by the UN, Palestinian refugees are banned from returning to their homeland.
Despite that it is every people"s right to elect the leaders that represent and govern them, the Palestinian people, especially those in Gaza, are suffering a choking, in fact, fatal siege ever since they chose Hamas to lead them, as a punishment for their democratic choice. All this is clear-cut evidence of the decline of the West who claim their moral, legal, and humanitarian advancement as it proves that the world is being governed by the law of the jungle which gives legitimacy to those who possess power and its tools and where there is no space for the weak, whether governments or people.
Does the West remember the day when the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and how they all rushed to support Afghani resistance by all means, primarily weapons, in order to drive out the Soviet invaders? So why the double standards?!
Do the Israelis remember how their forefathers were discriminated against in Europe and driven out of it several times and how they couldn"t find asylum anywhere besides the Islamic world which sheltered, secured, and was generous with them? Is this brutality of bloodshed and killing of women and children and destruction of trees and stone using internationally banned American weapons what they get in return?! A scene that is similar to that which was done to them at the hands of the Nazis in Europe during the last World War?!
They have broken the truce with Hamas 195 times within six months and the fatal blockade on them was intensified in the last year. Then when they failed to achieve their goals through the blockade they resorted to another strategy which was brutal military aggression on the Strip in order to break the will of the Palestinians, halt the launching of rockets, eliminate resistance and hence bury the Palestinian case forever. But the heroic steadfastness of the people and resistance which amazed the world defeated their plans and drove them out of Gaza with their failure and shame dragging behind them.
International organizations and regimes everywhere:
Where is your conscience? For two years you"ve been fighting to release Israeli Sgt. Shalit. At the same time, you"ve been ignoring 11,000 Palestinians in the Israeli prisons, including ministers, Members and Head of the Legislative Council, and civilian women and children?!
Where is your conscience as you mobilize your forces to prevent amateur weapons from entering Gaza for resistors -owners of the legitimate right to resist- to use against the oppressive occupation? At the same, you provide the Israeli aggressor with the biggest, latest, and most heinous weapons to continue their occupation, oppression, killing, and destruction?!
Arab, Islamic, and free people of the world:
This issue concerns us all; the issue of truth, justice, freedom, and humanity, which if we forsake we"ll be allowing falsehood and oppression to prevail, and we will lose our credibility in upholding the noble and humanitarian values which should govern the world.
Rulers of the Arabs and Muslims:
The Palestinian issue is a matter of dignity and pride; in fact, it is a matter of life as the land is that of Islamic and Christian holy shrines, and its people who are resisting represent the last line of defense for our country and its security. If we abandon resistance, God forbid!, as the West and Israelis want us to, our children and grandchildren will become refugees and slaves of the criminal Israelis who will be expanding at the expense of our land and country; history will curse us in all its pages, and the wrath of God, the angels, and all people will befall us.
Our brothers in Gaza had done an excellent job in offering their most valuable sacrifices. And despite their many wounds, they have foiled the enemy"s plan. Therefore, they should not, in any way, return to the conditions of the oppressive blockade, especially while their homes have been destroyed and thousands of them are left in the freezing cold weather without shelter. Therefore, we must rush to break the siege, open the crossings, rebuild Gaza, treat the wounded, and provide the people of Gaza with the basic life necessities, regardless of who likes it or who doesn"t. Neither political blackmailing nor tying the issues of saving, supporting, and rebuilding Gaza with other political issues are acceptable.
Arab rulers:
You have seen the feelings of your people, and heard their requests, so return to them. In them is your pride and honor and, in fact, your protection and legitimacy and do not respond to the schemes of the enemy. Know that the nation will not forsake the issue, nor will it forsake its brothers in Palestine because "the Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he does not oppress, forsake, or disappoint him" and "And help one another to benignancy and piety, and do not help one another to vice and hostility, (Al-Ma"idah: 2)."
Finally, the threats, measures, and plots that are taking place now imply that Israelis are planning to wage another war on Gaza these upcoming days. Therefore, we call on the Arab and Islamic people, their vital forces, and organizations of civil society all around the world to:
Hold emergency world events this Friday, February 6, 2009, with the aim of warning the Israelis and those behind them of the consequences of putting their criminal threats into action.
Arrange continuous events that aim at lifting the blockade and opening the crossings, especially the Rafah crossing, continuously and completely.
And God is our ultimate purpose. "And soon the ones who did injustice will know by whatever overturning they will be overturned (El-Shu"raa: 244)."
Mohamed Mahdi Akef- MB Chairman
Cairo,
Safar 9, 1430/February 4, 2009