Muslim Organizations under the auspices of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) are deeply concerned about the ongoing genocide in Palestine. This is because, apart from its criminality and lack of humanity, it also clearly shows the failure of global institutions established after the Second World War to protect human beings against any form of tyranny. It is an irony that the Zionists, who claim to be the only victims of Nazi inhumanity, have become the most inhumane political activists of the twenty-first century.
The international community has failed to address the root cause of this conflict largely because of the Government of the United States of America, which has consistently offered unconditional support to the Zionist occupiers of Palestine. The United Nations, which could not stop the establishment of the Zionist State of Israel in Palestine, however, guaranteed the right of Palestinians to self-determination and their existence as human beings. It has consistently passed resolutions that have been violated by the Zionist State of Israel.
The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the most recent resolution on 15 December 2022 by a recorded vote of 167 in favour and six against (Chad, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States). This resolution emphasized the necessity of ending Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and returning to the pre-1967 borders. It re-echoed the need for lasting peace based on relevant resolutions of the United Nations and agreements of the parties on the two-state solution. The resolution further “stressed the need to respect the territorial integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. The General Assembly implored “all States and the United Nations to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self-determination”.
The Zionist State of Israel is the only apartheid state in the world subsidized by the United States, the most powerful “democracy”. After confining many Palestinians to Gaza, the largest open-air prison in the World, the Zionist State, with the full support of the United States and its allies, is now determined to eliminate the over two million Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians in this prison. The majority of humanity are against the recent Zionist genocide in Gaza, where they have dropped more than 6,000 bombs on civilian population and infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. The latest being the bombing of al-Hilal Baptist Christian Hospital. This is unprecedented. Many women and children have been massacred by Israeli bombardment. US President Biden went to the Middle East to shamelessly seek support for the Zionist State of Israel and he failed to get the endorsement of all the countries in the Middle East, including traditional US allies.
The Zionist State of Israel, the US and its European allies, were the only countries that supported apartheid regime of South Africa. Nigeria was a frontline state in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Those countries that supported apartheid in South Africa are the ones supporting apartheid in Palestine. Both the Government and the opposition party in South Africa have condemned the Zionist genocide in Palestine. Even in the United States and Europe all progressive forces are unanimous in their condemnation of Israeli genocide against Palestinians.
The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria is deeply saddened and outraged by Israel’s bombardments on Gaza and strongly condemns the most recent singular act of the United States as it has always done for vetoing the UN Resolution calling for humanitarian pauses in the Gaza war that would facilitate passage of aid to Gaza.
It is in this light that the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria is calling on:
- The UN and the international community to stop this hypocrisy, apply international law equally on everybody and pursue the realization of the two-state solution in Palestine diligently, so as to bring to an end this callousness, bloodshed and suffering in that part of the world.
- The Federal Government of Nigeria to emulate the Government and opposition party of South Africa who condemned the actions of the Zionist State of Israel. It should immediately assume its African leadership position in Africa as it was during the Murtala Administration. It should be in the forefront in the struggle for the liberation of oppressed people of Palestine and in places such as Myanmar, Kashmir, China and India.
- The Federal Government of Nigeria should urgently review its relations with the Zionist State of Israel until it respects International Law and the rights of Palestinians.
- The Federal Government of Nigeria, on behalf of the teeming Muslims and Christians and people of conscience of Nigeria, should as a matter of urgency provide relief materials to the besieged Palestinians who are in dire need of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials.
- Nigerian humanitarian organizations and mosques are hereby called upon to mobilize assistance to the distressed people of Palestine.
The Council calls on all Muslims and people of other faiths to offer special prayers invoking Allah, The Most High, to come to the aid of the Palestinians and all oppressed people of the world.
