French Muslims have flocked to buy Palestinian products as part of fund-raising campaigns for the Palestinians.

By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent

PARIS, May 6, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Olive oil bottles, copper items, and paintings of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock have taken center stage at the biggest annual Muslim conference in France against a backdrop of fund-raising campaigns for the Palestinians, who are facing a serious humanitarian crisis in light of the West's aid cutoff.

Much sought-after at Paris-le-Bourget conference which opened Friday, May 6, for four days, the traditional Palestinian products have been displayed by French and European charities in solidarity with the downtrodden Palestinians.

"This year's Paris-le-Bourget conference is held at a critical stage in the history of the Palestinian people who are taking the brunt of the West's aid freeze," Ali Gabbara, chairman of the humanitarian committee for the Support of Palestine, told IslamOnlien.net Saturday, May 6.

"We are expecting a strong support from French Muslims for our fund-raising campaign to help provide for our brothers and sisters in Palestine," he said, hailing the positive and heartfelt response on Friday from a large number of visitors.

Organized by the Union of French Islamic Organizations (UOIF), the conference brings together a cohort of high-ranking French politicians and Muslim dignitaries to discuss a host of issues of Muslim concern.

Among leading attendees are Christine Boutin, a member of the Union for the Popular Movement party, researchers Olivier Roy and Vincent Glissiere and Muslim scholar Hani Ramadan, the chairman of the Geneva-based Islamic Center.

The UOIF is the biggest Muslim body in France and groups about 200 societies.

The number of Muslims in France exceeds six millions, representing 10% of the population, the largest Muslim minority in Europe.

Donations

Rasheeda, a French Muslim of Algerian origin, championed an initiative to donate 100 euros monthly to a poor Palestinian family.

"The West's starvation campaign against the Palestinians is a test for all Muslims," said

"But the main obstacle facing us is how to transfer these donations to the Palestinians," Rasheeda added.

"They (the West) want to humiliate the Palestinians, who have become indeed a source of pride to all Muslims."

Kareem, 14, was waiting anxiously for the event to donate the nominal but significant sum to help the Palestinians in their distress.

"My prayers and little money are really a small token to the Palestinians," he said.

A volunteer was also selling albums for famed Palestinian troupe Al-Somood (forbearance) a short note that "Returns Are For Aid Projects in Palestine."

The Netherlands-based Palestinian Forum is seeking a wider market for the Palestinian products.

"The Palestinian Forum is seeking to market the Palestinian products across Europe," said Forum's member Amin Abu Ibrahim.

"We help Palestinian farmers and producers to market their products in the European markets," he added while standing under a big banner reading "Palestinian Products" in French and Arabic.

The Palestinians are facing serious shortages of food and medicine after the United States and the European Union suspended in March direct aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

Israel has further since February stopped transferring customs duties worth around $50 million a month and previously collected for the PA.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Friday, May 5, that a humanitarian crisis was now "on our doorstep" in the Gaza Strip due to the aid freeze.

Around 160,000 civil servants and security officers have not been paid since March, affecting the livelihoods of around one million people or a quarter of the population of the Gaza Strip and West Bank.