An Islamic organization, Aqsah Nigeria, has called on world leaders, especially African governments, to take decisive action in enforcing the July 19th, 2024 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declared Israel’s war on Palestinian territories unlawful.
The organization also urged for mass mobilization and continuous public awareness to uphold this “landmark judgment” in hopes of ending the ongoing killing of women and children and the displacement of Palestinians by Israeli forces.
The Director of Aqsah Nigeria, Mr. Rasheed Atta, made this appeal over the weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State, during a world press conference organized in collaboration with the International Institute for Human Heritage and other Muslim organizations.
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Atta emphasized that the annexation of Palestinian territories and discriminatory policies against the people are violations of international law that must be stopped.
He stated that the judgment delivered by the President of the ICJ, Justice Nawaf Salaam, is a clarion call for all global leaders and superpowers to stand against the humiliation and oppression of the Palestinians.
“The world must understand the significance of the ICJ and its ruling.
Those who have long stood with the Palestinian people, as well as newcomers to the cause, have a duty to mobilize within their power and ensure that this pronouncement does not become just another empty judgment,” he said.
The Aqsah Nigeria director urged the United Nations not to ignore the ruling but to ensure justice for the oppressed.
“Injustice to one is injustice to all. Justice for humanity is sacrosanct, irrespective of race, color, religion, or ideology,” the legal practitioner asserted.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, highlighted the importance of understanding the global politics surrounding Israel’s actions in Gaza and other Palestinian territories.
He pointed out that the conflict is not between Muslims and Christians, as Zionists are targeting both churches and mosques.
“We support the Palestinians on humanitarian grounds. Our concern is for the right to live. It is merely coincidental that the majority of Palestinians are Muslims,” Sanni explained.
He urged the UN to end the current situation where a few countries dominate global affairs and commended the 35 countries that have severed ties with Israel over what he described as its war crimes in Palestine.
Former Minister of Communications and Pro-Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, also contributed, stating that Palestine deserves to be a sovereign state.
He called on governments around the world to follow South Africa’s example and support the emancipation of Palestine.
Shittu emphasized that the two-state solution endorsed by the international community must not be circumvented or undermined by the Israeli occupation.
He also called on the United States to apply the same level of intervention in the Israeli occupation of Palestine as it has in the Russian annexation of Ukraine.
The Chairman of the Muslim Community of Ibarapa, Sheikh Bilal Shittu, concluded the event with a call for Arab nations and other countries to rally behind Palestine to end the suffering of its people.
