24 October, New Delhi: The President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Syed Sadatullah Husani has termed the support of Palestine as in the best national interest of India. Expressing this views on the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza at the Weekly Program held at the headquarters of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, New Delhi on 21 October 2023, the JIH President said, “I feel that the most important work that we need to do regarding the Palestinian issue is to create awareness about the issue in the general public. The governments can stop protests and processions. They are trying to stop all such events. We also tried a lot. They have made the conditions in Delhi such that they do not want any public procession or activity in this regard. They can stop these activities but you can convey the real information (about the Palestinian problem) through the media, social media, and by connecting with people. As the media is trying to spread falsehood and misinformation on a large scale and trying to create a special impression about the Palestinian problem in the whole country, then in such a situation, we all have a responsibility to ensure that we bring the real facts in front of the people of this country.”

Describing the conflict as a violation of our cherished values, the JIH President said, “People should be told that Palestine is currently the most oppressed nation in the world and Israel is currently the cruelest and most barbaric country in our modern history. There is no parallel to the atrocities that it is inflicting on the Palestinians. Israel is a collection of all the evils that the civilized world hates. The basic principles and values on which the modern world has been raised and established, all of them are being violated in Palestine today, whether it is democracy, freedom, human rights, or racial equality. All these values are being trampled in Palestine at the hands of Israel. So the problem of Palestine is not only the problem of one country, it is not the problem of the nation, it is the problem of the whole of humanity. If our values are allowed to be trampled in this way, then what we have achieved in the last two hundred years, we will bury and destroy along with Gaza.”

Describing the plight of the Palestinians, Mr Husaini said, “We need to tell the people that 6 million people, the number of people living within Palestine, almost the same number have been leading a life of misery as refugees in different parts of the world for the last 75 years. No war has ever produced refugees in such large numbers. And of the six-seven million Palestinians inside Palestine, they also live in small ghettos, as if they are open-air prisons. And even in these prisons, they are not safe. Every year the homes of Palestinians are bombed every year. Children die every year. Schools and hospitals are bombarded every year. Every year thousands of women and children are locked up and tortured. It has been going on continuously for years and it should be in front of the eyes of the civilized world. Being silent and a mute spectator to this sounds the death kneel of our entire civilization.”

Talking about India’s national interest, the Jamaat Chief said, “We should also tell the people of our country that supporting Palestine is in our national interest. The issue is not merely that of human rights but also that of our national interest. The values on which we established our nation, and the values on which we fought our war of independence are the same values and demand that the Palestinian cause be supported. If we don’t support the Palestinian cause, if we don’t support the oppressed of Palestine then we are rebelling against our country. We rebel against our values. We rebel against our history. We are rebelling against the praiseworthy legacy of our nation. The people of the country should be strongly informed about all this in a very convincing manner.”

Pointing out regarding the golden opportunity for our country to become the leader of the Global South, the JIH President avered, “The developed world will not make our country its leader. America will not make us its leader. The Global South. We have led this group of developing countries for many years. The issue of Palestine had offered a golden opportunity and our country could have led the Global South and become the most powerful voice against imperialism and oppression. It can be done, even today. Those who are losing this opportunity are working against the interests of the country. We should tell all this to the people of the country in a very convincing manner. Then there will be awareness regarding the Palestinian problem in our country. We have always played a historical role for the Palestinian cause, if we proceed to play a role once again then I think that will be the greatest service we can discharge for the brothers of Palestine in this country.”

Earlier Mr Husaini thanked KC Tyagi for his valuable inputs regarding Palestine. Praising Mr Tyagi’s efforts, he said, “We are also grateful to you as you are the most powerful voice for Palestine in our country. We see that you are continuously trying to mobilize and create awareness about the Palestinian issue among the MPs and media. This is our responsibility and you are discharging our responsibility hence you (KC Tyagi Sahab) deserve to be thanked by all of us.”