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More than 280 Palestinians were killed and 700 wounded. |
On Saturday, December 27, Israel fired a massive wave of Israeli air-strikes against the sealed off Gaza Strip. More than 280 Palestinians were killed and 700 wounded.
The European Muslim Community denounced the Israeli's air-strikes, they showed their consolation to the Palestinian people. Hereby, we are presenting a couple of press releases issued by some of the Muslim organizations in Europe as a reaction to the Gaza Massacre.
The European Assembly of Imams and Spiritual Guides
Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe
The British Muslim Initiative
Quilliam Foundation
The Reaction of The European Assembly of Imams and Spiritual Guides
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious.
At a time when the world expected that the hardships of the Palestinian people would be lessened somewhat due to the calls of world leaders, international organizations, Imams and religious leaders such as the Pope of the Vatican Church, we are faced with the outrageous news of the horrendous attacks on innocent Palestinian civilians, many of which were children, women and elderly, by the Israeli air force.
We at the European Assembly of Imams and Spiritual Guides look at this modern holocaust with the utmost disdain and horror. Civilian life is being shed by terrorists who do not sanctify human life and who only further disable the means of peace whereby nations can hope to live together.
We call upon all the nations and civil organizations and every free man or woman to expend their utmost effort to end this injustice and horror facing the Palestinian nation and to help them in their plight.
We also call upon every member of the European Assembly of Imams and Spiritual Guides in Europe to explain the stance of our moderate religion and the other religions when it comes to violence and treachery and to lead the way for Muslims to uphold a resolved humanitarian stance to end this plight befalling the Palestinian people and to lend monetary, political and moral support to them.
We also remind them to humble themselves in prayer to Allah Almighty, such that He
removes this suffering and to take proactive measures to lobby and pressure our European governments to take action to end these massacres and not to continue to lend the Israeli government the funds necessary to equip them with their military might.
Asking our Lord to accept those martyred men, women and children and to remove the plight of all that suffer injustice, so that all corners of the globe may know justice and peace.
Sheikh Wanis Mabruk
Head of European Assembly of Imams and Spiritual Guides
On the Tragic Events Happening at Gaza Right Now
Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful
With tremendous grief Muslims in Europe are following up the tragic news through the media. These are the barbaric attacks against the Palestinian citizens in the blockaded Gaza Strip. These crimes are being carried out by the invading Israeli army using its most deadly power and military air power since Saturday 27th of December.
The ruthless massacres taking place executed by the Israeli military machine are aimed at unarmed people. Hundreds of innocent people fell dead as mortars and many injured in the first few hours of the massacre.
Such development is unprecedented in its nature and can not be justified in any way. It can not be met with silence. The air strikes and the appalling attacks are being concentrated over a small stretch of land which has the highest human concentration in the world. What is happening is an unreserved mass murder carried out upon the inhabitants.
The human nature can only be shocked at the terrifying and murdering of an entire nation taking place. With all the horrifying details appearing as events unfold. It is noticed that the air raids take place at the time when children are leaving their schools maximizing terror and death amongst children. Religious worship places were bombed with worshipers inside. This makes this military operation a barbaric and savagery assault.
In the face of this massive situation and the horrendous massacres which seem to be still at the start of a greater campaign, we stand with the Palestinian people in the Gaza strip. We wish to show our brotherly and strong human solidarity with these people. The people of Gaza have suffered a strangling blockade for over two years. The blockade has affected all the basic vital life support services in Gaza. On top of that, the people of Gaza are now under fire by the invading military fighter planes minute by minute.
In response to that and in response to the continued tragedies on view to the entire world, The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe states the following:
First: We in the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, condemn with the strongest words this barbaric assault executed by the invading Israeli army upon the blockaded Palestinian people in the Gaza strip. The Israeli army is considered to be the strongest military arsenal in the region. The federation also strongly deplores the attack considering it to be unjustified and clear crimes of war, and a practice of mass murders which makes mockery of all basic human and moral values and all the international standards and declarations for the protection of human rights.
Second: The Federation calls for urgent actions by all responsible parties in the world, at official and public and human right levels. The Federation considers the situation to be a moral and human responsibility that can not tolerate any hesitation. On this issue the Federation can not emphasize enough the importance of the European Union action to control the Israeli military machine which is continuing its bloody massacres. And the Federation urges the speedy dismantling of the strangling blockade forced upon a million and a half Palestinian in the Gaza strip.
The federation also calls for the ending of all the assistance and privileges granted to invading Israel. Israel continues to dangerously disregard all human rights and international laws. The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe also calls for a unified Arab and Islamic stand that fits the tremendous event, in order to stand on the side of the Palestinian people with all resources, aiming at the lifting of the blockade and the opening the Rafah crossing which is the only cross point Gaza has with the rest of the world.
Third:The Federation acknowledges its gravest concern towards the size of the attack taking place at the Gaza strip and its human consequences. This is especially true when combined with the lack of the basic first aid and the necessary relief and rescue and medical services under the imposed existing blockade. This concern also considers the build up of threats issued by the high level Israeli officials who are still talking about their determination of committing wide scope killing operations aimed towards the civilian population in Gaza.
Forth: The Federation calls upon Muslims in all parts of Europe to take a serious brotherly stand with the Palestinian people, the victims of this barbaric atrocity through the following practical actions:
- Making prayers to Allah (May He be exalted) to end the suffering of the attack aimed at the Palestinian people including all the children, women and the elders and the sick, and to the lifting of the wrongful blockade. We urge the Muslims of Europe to do peaceful sit-ins at all mosques and Islamic associations.
- To organize multiple public and media activities to publicize the tragedy to rally the masses of the Muslim and non-Muslims to reflect the awakening of the living conscience of the different European societies. Making sure to adhere to all related official requirements and regulations.
- The search for the initiation of wider scope human activities which aim at the aid of the afflicted Gaza strip in order to treat and dress the wounds, and provide food and medicine and provide the life rescue support from a calamity that was pre-programmed against the inhabitants of the Gaza strip.
We ask Allah to lift this tragedy off the people of Palestine. We ask Him to have mercy upon their martyrs, and to make better and healthier the casualties, the injured and the victims. We ask Allah to bestow upon their families and survivors the tolerance and patience and firmness. We ask Almighty to bring to these people their just rights which can not be forgone.
BMI Denounces Israeli War Crimes
The British Muslim Initiative
The British Muslim Initiative condemns unreservedly the criminal and barbaric Israeli air strikes launched against the beleaguered Palestinian nation in Gaza this morning. These attacks which killed more than 155 civilians, including many children, can only be described as clear crimes of war against an innocent, defenseless and besieged nation, who has been surviving without basic living amenities, food, medicine and fuel for more than a year and a half.
The British Muslim Initiative also condemns the shameless silence of Western and Arab Governments towards the continued violations and crimes committed by Israel and its agents and their collective contempt towards international law, as well as all notions of humanity, reason and rational.
Together with a number of British organizations, BMI has called for a demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy in London on Sunday the 28th of December. Mohammed Sawalha, President of BMI stated this morning: "Governments have continued to fail the Palestinian people, and hundreds if not thousands have been slaughtered as a result. The people of the world however will never stay quiet, nor will they ever forget".
Demonstration - Stop Gaza Slaughter:
Israel has launched an air strike on Gaza killing over 140 and wounding over 200 people. And Israel says this is just the start!
Show your support for the Palestinians by attending the Demonstration on Sunday 28th December 2008 at 2pm. Outside the Embassy of Israel
Quilliam Foundation's Reaction
The six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, has expired. In response to a series of Hamas rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched its deadliest attack on Gaza in decades, killing over 200 people, including civilians, and injuring hundreds more. The hugely disproportionate killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces has not been seen on this scale since the Six-Day War in 1967.
Ed Husain, the Quilliam Foundation's co-Director, said:
"The UK Government cannot seek to win hearts and minds across Muslim communities while failing to stop Israel from murdering Palestinians en masse. Gordon Brown and David Miliband have reached out to Damascus and Darfur in recent weeks in an attempt to bring peace and stand for fairness. That is commendable. And in that spirit, where is the outright condemnation of Israeli atrocities and pressure on Israel to stop its inhumane operations?
Perceived double standards from our Government and the current green light (from Washington and London) to Israel's killing machine will strengthen Al Qaeda's metanarrative and radicalize yet another generation of young Muslims.
Isolating and angering millions of Muslims by sitting on the fence will not aid the PREVENT agenda, or the moderate majority of Muslims. The FCO and Downing Street has a duty to stand, condemn, and call for immediate cessation of Israel's military operations, and end the siege".
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