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"The group is eager to keep aid campaigns non-stop to help poor Palestinians suffering under the yoke of the Israeli occupation and siege," said Ibrahim. |
VIENNA — Austrian Muslims have launched a campaign to provide Ramadan packages for poor Palestinian families during the holy fasting month as well as `Eid presents for Palestinian orphans.
"The Palestine Humanitarian Group in Austria is seeking to provide food packages for the needy Palestinian families during Ramadan as well as providing `Eid presents for children by the end of the holy month," Hani Ibrahim of the group told IslamOnline.net Saturday, September 9.
"The group is eager to keep aid campaigns non-stop to help poor Palestinians suffering under the yoke of the Israeli occupation and siege."
The "Feeding Fasting Palestinians" campaign is aimed at providing food packages for Palestinian families during Ramadan, which is two weeks away.
"The campaign acquires a special importance this year as the holy month falls while the numbers of poor Palestinian families have doubled due to the tightened siege on the Palestinian lands and government," Ibrahim maintained.
The Palestinians have been facing a severe humanitarian crisis since the West has frozen direct aid since a Hamas-led Palestinian government came to power.
Israel has also suspended the monthly payment of customs duties, worth more than 50 million dollars, it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority on goods that transit through its territory.
The international siege has affected the livelihoods of around one million people or a quarter of the population of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Donations
Ibrahim said Austrian Muslims have raced to donate for buying the food packages.
"People can either donate three euros to feed a needy Palestinian or 30 euros to provide a food package that is sufficient for a whole family for one week," he said.
"People can also donate 15 euros to buy `Eid presents for the poor and orphaned Palestinian children," he added.
The Muslim activist said the charity has also championed a campaign to help the Palestinian orphans during the holy month.
"Donators can also pay 45 euros to afford an orphan during Ramadan."
Many tools are used by the Austrian Muslim charity to raise funds for the Palestinians.
"We are using ads, posters and postal campaigns to this end," he said adding that donations are sent to the Palestinians through charities operating in the Palestinian territories.
Last April, Austrian Muslims have launched a fund-raising campaign for the Palestinian people.
The "Let's Support for Our Besieged Brothers" campaign raised one hundred euros per month for every Palestinian family.
Early July, the Palestine Humanitarian Group also launched its annual campaign to raise funds for Palestinian students ahead of the next academic year to encourage them to pursue their education despite hardships and obstacles under the Israeli occupation.
Relief Convoys
The group has also launched campaigns to help the needy people in other Arab countries.
"Despite we are preoccupied by the Palestinian sufferings, but we have never forgot our brothers in other countries who are suffering from occupation and siege," Ibrahim said.
He said that group has launched campaigns to help the Lebanese people during the Israeli offensive.
"We have also rushed to send relief convoys for the Lebanese people, particularly in the south," he added.
Up to 1,200 Lebanese were killed when Israel launched a month-long offensive in Lebanon.
The Israeli blitz, which left the Lebanese infrastructure in tatters, has also displaced nearly a million people.
Muslims are estimated at 400,000, making up 4% of Austria's 8 million population.
Islam, which was officially acknowledged in Austria in 1912, is considered the second religion in the country after Catholic Christianity.
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