Religious leaders in Zimbabwe have unequivocally called for an end to the brutal massacre of innocent Palestinian civilians by the barbaric Israel regime and the enforcement of an immediate ceasefire. They also called on Israel to show human conscience through allowing humanitarian assistance to reach the besieged occupied territory of Gaza. The religious leaders were also firm in calling for an end to the massacre of unarmed innocent women and children in Palestine.

They noted that Israel was committing a large-scale genocide in Israel under the watch of the Western countries. Expressing their anguish at the atrocities in Palestine, the leaders, who gathered at a seminar organized by the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Committee on Dialogue Among Religions and Faith Traditions held at Ale Mohammad Mosque in Harare last Thursday afternoon, the clerics lauded Iran and a few other countries for standing with the people of Palestine.

Speaking at the seminar, the Cultural Counsellor, Mr Hamid Bakhtiyar urged all progressive countries of the world to stand up with the people of Palestine who are facing daily bombardments from Israel. He said more than 70000 Palestinians have so far been killed by Israel. Among this figure are women, children and other unarmed civilians. He further expressed confidence that Palestine will one day be free from the shackles of the Apartheid regime of Israel.

Mr Seyyed Hussein Vaezi, a diplomat at the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who was standing in for the Ambassador, H.E. Mr Abbas Navazani, noted that Iran will continue to stand with the people of Palestine. He bemoaned the fact that the Palestinians have been under the brutal occupation of Israel for the past 75years. He also said that the entry of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians should be expedited and should reach Gaza unhindered.

The Palestinian deputy Ambassador, Mr Salim Siam mentioned that the Palestinian fight is legitimate as they are fighting an occupying force and that the country has the right to defend itself. He called on the world community to act on the concerns of the Palestinian people.

Sheikh Ismail Duwa, the President of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Zimbabwe called on Israel to halt its vicious attacks on the Palestinian people and to return all the occupied land to Palestine. He condemned in the strongest possible terms the heinous killing of children by Israel. Sheikh Duwa urged the pro-Palestinian world to continue supporting the Palestinian cause.

Archbishop Joannes Ndanga, the founder of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe castigated America and her allies for condoning and abetting Israel’s brutal and inhuman actions on Palestine. He questioned the conscience of Israel in killing thousands of innocent and unarmed civilians.

Sheikh Makwinja, the National Director of the Ahl - ul - Bayt Islamic Guidance Council questioned the conscience of the Western countries in arming Israel to kill innocent civilians. He said Israel has shown its inhuman face through killing innocent children housed in hospitals.

Reverend Ngaware Malunga, the President of Tehilla Christian Network noted that the events taking place in Palestine had attracted the world’s attention and united world opinion on Palestine, resulting in the numerous demonstrations against Israel in various parts of the world.

A Muslim cleric, Sheikh Henry Balakazi castigated the Western countries’ double standards in the Palestinian issue, further noting that it was morally unjust for some Arab countries to normalise relations with Israel, an immoral country. He called for peace based on justice to prevail in Palestine.

Archbishop Never Pavari, the President of the Zimbabwe Union Council of Churches said the Zimbabwe Christian movement fully supports the Palestinian people. He called for an end to the human rights violations by Israel on Palestinians, as well as the restoration of peace on Palestine. Rahma Mabveni from Fatima Zahra Women’s Centre drew an analysis argueing that women were now being caught in the web of war, making it difficult for them to take care of the families.

Meanwhile, the seminar delegates adopted the following resolutions: 

1. Appreciates and hails with great pride the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their heroic “Intifada” against the colonial Israeli occupation in order to achieve their legitimate rights. Emphasizes the continuation of providing its political material and moral support to enable the Palestinian people to confront occupation while stressing that the Israeli occupation is the main reason behind the deterioration and gravity of the situation in the region.
2. Strongly condemn of colonial Israel’s persistence in its crimes and massacres as well as repressive and terrorist practices against the Palestinian people, including women and children.
3.  Calls on United States and its allies to stop sending weapons to Israel which are being used to commit genocide on Palestine.
4. Reaffirms the United Nations immutable responsibility towards the Palestinian issue until a just and comprehensive settlement has been reached for all its aspects that would ensure ending the occupation, and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable national rights, including the right to return, to self-determination and to independent statehood on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital.
5. Also exhorts all States and Authorities concerned to bolster the international programme of economic, social, and cultural development in the Palestinian territories, and to extend all necessary assistance aimed at helping the Palestinian People to build their national economy and support their national institutions.
6. Condemns colonial Israel’s violation of the International Red Cross Convention and its continuous attacks against medical personnel, ambulances belonging to the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent as well as the other relief organizations; and Israel’s refusal to allow these bodies perform their task according to the International Humanitarian Law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.
7. Condemns Israel for attacking the holy Palestinian Christian and Islamic sites, laying siege, the storming and rocketing the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, bombing hospital, schools, and setting fire to a number of mosques and places of worship, denying worshipers access to the blessed Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Resurrection; further condemns the Israeli occupation forces for robbing, removing and destroying official and private Palestinian institutions and confiscating their records and documents as well as violating personal properties and household.
8. Requests the UN Security Council to form a special international criminal tribunal, in conformity with International Law to Prosecute colonial Israeli war criminals who carried out or were behind the savage slaughters which were perpetrated by settler regime Israel.
9. We call on boycotting all products of the settler regime Israel.
10. We call on the immediate ceasefire by the aggressor Israel and allow humanitarian assistance to the reach the Gaza and other affected people in occupied Palestine.
11. We call on all Arab states to stop normalization of relations with Israel and fully support the Palestinian nation.