The seventh conference of the Women’s Global Coalition for Quds and Palestine was launched under the slogan “The Pioneers of Al-Quds Create Its Victory”

 

The seventh conference of the Women’s Global Coalition for Quds and Palestine was launched today under the slogan “The Pioneers of Al-Quds Create Its Victory” in Istanbul. More than 400 women leadership figures from within and from various Arab and Islamic countries attended.

A number of ministers attended the conference, such as the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services, Professor Derya Yanik, the Malaysian Minister of Agricultural Industries and Financial Commodities, Dr. Zuraida Kamaruddin, and from the State of Qatar, the Deputy Speaker of the Qatari Consultative Council, Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti, and the President of the Global Coalition for Quds and Palestine, Dr. Hamam Saeed.

This conference comes in light of the occupation’s continued attempts to judaize Al-Quds and kill every resisting soul.

Dr. Omaima Al-Tijani, President of the WGCAP, said, “We meet today, under the slogan: Women Pioneers of Al-Quds Create Its Victory, because the zero hour has come. We say, ‘They see it far away, but we see it soon,’ We are breathing in this scent and fragrance of the coming victory just steps away from us, so we must strive and create that victory...Al-Quds is the compass of the entire Ummah, with its men, women, and all its constituents. You are the entire Ummah, and may you be glorious pioneers.”

For her part, Prof. Rabab Awad, Secretary-General of the WGCQP, said, “The Al-Quds cause is the Ummah's cause,” continuing that, “The Palestinian cause is a cause that all the free people in the world have agreed upon, and the Women's Global Coalition, which was a dream seven years ago has become today a reality that brings together more than 44 countries around the world, to coordinate and network the efforts of women who support the Palestinian cause.”

Awad stressed that these great efforts could not have been achieved except through the efforts of well-intentioned sisters. They have worked on this conference over the course of several months, in order to convey the suffering of the women in Al-Quds and Gaza, as s well as the suffering of women prisoners in the occupation prisons. It was also to let the WGCQP be a place for networking and experiences as she put it.

Awad revealed that this conference will result in a number of initiatives, the most important of which are the Young Women’s Coalition and the Coalition for Women Scholars and Preachers.

For her part, Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti said, “Her enthusiasm was great and alight, given her attendance at the Pioneers of Al-Quds Create Its Victory conference.” Al-Sulaiti explained that what she saw from the first moments of the conference’s opening, ignited feelings and sentiments towards the Palestinian issue. Al-Sulaiti stressed that the Palestinian Cause is the cause of the Qatari people; they grow alongside it and are full of life.

Al-Sulaiti added that this conference comes to expose the crimes and practices of the occupation against the Palestinian people, especially the Palestinian women, who suffer when faced with the war machine and the occupation soldiers. Al-Sulaiti saw this conference as a good opportunity for all women in the world who love safety and life to join in and support the steadfastness of Palestinian women towards the oppression of the occupation in the Sacred Al-Quds. She continued that the role of women is not limited only to the fact that they represent half of society, but rather they are responsible for raising generations to believe in the Palestinian cause and that Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque belong to the entire Islamic Ummah.

Al-Sulaiti called for working to liberate Palestine from the occupation, especially in light of the occupation's escalation and use of excessive force and internationally prohibited weapons, which has led to the death of dozens of Palestinian women, the most recent of which was the assassination of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in an attempt to silence the voice of freedom, as she described it.

Al-Sulaiti stressed that imposing restrictions on the practice of religious rituals, attacking worshipers inside Al-Aqsa, and destroying its contents, which includes burning the Qur’an, calls on us all to appeal to Islamic countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to provide protection and assistance to Palestinian women in order to empower them and support their steadfastness in the face of the occupation’s violations against them, and to practice their religious rituals. Al-Sulaiti called on Amnesty International to put pressure on the occupation authorities to stop violence against women and release Palestinian women prisoners. She called on the women of the world to express their denunciation of this injustice and oppression to which Palestinian women are exposed in the occupation prisons as they struggle to defend their rights.

Al-Sulaiti stressed that the State of Qatar has not and will not hesitate to fully support Palestinian women and the Palestinian cause, as the Qatari position calls for ending the occupation of the lands of Palestine. The cause is still present in all of Qatar's movements, especially in the agenda of His Highness Prince Tamim Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, so that the Palestinian people acquire their legitimate rights, adding that Qatar's supportive position towards the Palestinian people is no secret. Al-Sulaiti reminded the audience of the necessity of utilizing a safe solution for the Palestinian people, similar to how the world is calling for a solution to the Ukrainian crisis.

In a related context, Malaysian Minister of Agricultural Industry and Commodities Zuraida Kamaruddin said, “The Palestinian cause means a lot to me, especially as we live on the 74th anniversary of the Nakba, the largest displacement movement in modern history. But Israel is not satisfied with that, and continues to steal lands and expel their owners from them, as is happening in Silwan, Jenin and other Palestinian territories.

Kamaruddin said, "When I visited Gaza in 2009, I was impressed by the women of Palestine, especially those in Gaza. They are educated, strong, and leaders in their society. This is the strength of Palestine and Gaza."

Kamaruddin also stressed the necessity to support Palestine with all our means to liberate women in Palestine and all Palestinians.

 Kamaruddin asked, “Why don’t we have more conferences and meetings outside the Arab region? For example, we want a conference in East Asia, and we will work to establish the type of gatherings in Southeast Asia with our friends and sisters in Indonesia. We look forward to working with you and with Muslim women in the countries of South Asia to give and support the Palestinian struggle."

At the end of her speech, Kamaruddin paid tribute to Palestinian women, stressing the need for continued pressure to liberate all Palestinians from the prisons of the Zionist entity.

For her part, Asma Zahraa, the main organizer of the women’s branch in the Personal Status Law Council for All Indian Muslims, said, “The Muslim population in India exceeds 200 million Muslims, all of whom are linked to the Palestinian cause. In fact, we feel like we are meeting our mothers, daughters, and sisters in such meetings we meet our mothers, daughters, and sisters. This is the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH). Gathering for the sake of Al-Quds and the freedom of Palestine is a very important matter, and I thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to join such a conference. I stressed that Muslims are linked to Al-Aqsa Mosque, our first qibla, and our love for this land brought us together in this wonderful conference.”

She went on, "The Palestinian cause and the cause of Burmese Muslims are among the most important issues for the Ummah, and the people of Gaza bear a lot of this torture and suffering. There is nothing similar to this crime committed by the occupation forces."

Zahraa added, “There is a lot that needs to be done in terms of educating people and guiding them towards the Palestinian cause. Therefore, we have a lot of work and effort to do in order to serve the Palestinian cause, especially in the field of raising awareness and building a new generation well-aware of the Palestinian cause and forming such coalitions all over the world."

Mr. Sawsan Al-Moubayed, the mother of Palestinian prisoner Marah Bakir, , said, “More than 15,000 Palestinian women experienced captivity in occupation prisons, and tasted the bitterness of imprisonment, such as torture, solitary confinement, etc…, but the most important challenge of steadfastness was embodied in every experience.” She pointed out that the women prisoners who are true to their commitment to Allah will not weaken or become complacent.

She also showed a number of pictures of Palestinian women prisoners, including prisoner Israa Al-Jaabis, who needed to undergo dozens of surgical operations after she was burned when her car caught fire.

Mrs. Al-Moubayed conveyed the greetings of the women prisoners in the occupation prisons, stressing the need to support them financially and in the media. She sent a massive greeting to the women facing life sentences in the occupation prisons who lost their fathers and mothers behind prison bars.

Fatima Bint Al-Maddah, head of the National Rabat Women in Mauritania, said, “The women of Africa are ready to defend Palestine, the Ummah’s first cause.” She stressed that no matter how some regimes establish relations with the Israeli occupation, the women of Africa will stand in the way of these relations. She sent a message to the regimes that tolerate the occupation by saying: "The Zionists have no covenant or obligation, and Al-Aqsa will liberated, if Allah wills it, and the will of the nation’s men and women", as she put it.

Dr. Noura Al-Hanzab, the official of the Women’s Coalition in the State of Qatar, said in her speech, “The conference includes an elite group of pioneering women who are united by love of Allah, love of Al-Quds, love of Palestine, and support for the bond of its people. I, in my name and in the name of the Arabian Gulf region and its peoples, welcome everyone, appreciating their role in supporting Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Palestine and the rights of its people.”

She added that the conference comes in light of the continued crimes of the occupation, the Judaization of the Holy City, its attempts to impose temporal and spatial division, and the settlers’ attempts to escalate the incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque.

She stressed that these dangers facing Al-Aqsa Mosque call for the necessity of unifying behind this issue and supporting the steadfastness of the men and women stationed therein, as they represent the first line of defense on behalf of the Islamic Ummah. She recalled the importance of the great role women play as mothers, daughters and sisters in raising generations and preparing them to bear responsibility with great care.

The party stressed that Gulf women are at the heart of the honorable role in supporting the people of Palestine, and they have a major part in supporting these projects. They are still on this path, believing in their religious and humanitarian duty, understanding that the Palestinian cause is intended to be neglected in favor of the occupation’s projects. However, these conferences that support the efforts of our Palestinian people's in Palestine prevent the achievement of any of the occupation’s sinful goals, as described.

In her speech, Daria Yanik, the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services, said that there is poem of Turkish origin that says, “Walk and the power of Al-Quds supports you" because Al-Quds is a symbol of struggle and resistance, and millions of people today live by the power of Al-Quds. This power was a companion to the prophets and messengers." She continued, “The history of Jerusalem is the history of the struggle between truth and falsehood, from the days of Adam, peace be upon him, until this day, has always been the truth that is fought for against falsehood, and whenever freedom fighters are present, there is hope.”

Yanik pointed out that "This large presence confirms the unity of the Ummah towards the Palestinian cause, and with this concept this coalition was born. We hope to be like you and look to you with hope. We emphasize once more that Palestine is a sacred land and if it does not obtain its rights, peace will not prevail in this world, for all people, Jews and Muslims.”

The minister mentioned the activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed by the occupation in cold blood while confronting its machines that wanted to demolish homes in Palestine, and she sacrificed her soul for the sake of right and freedom. She stressed that achieving victory is inevitable, and this requires that we have educated, aware, and educated generations, so that they can walk with steady, confident steps towards victory and seize their rights.

For her part, Dr. Jebaria Sultani, Vice President of the Women's Global Coalition, confirmed in her speech about the Maghreb region that "The Algerian people are religiously, ideologically and fatefully linked to the Blessed Land. The Zionist project will not pass as long as the heart of the Ummah beats with its youth and women...Palestine is an identity engraved in the conscience of Muslims, even those who have not yet been born.”

During the welcoming ceremony for the conference, Mrs. Yusra Al-Aklou, wife of the martyr Osama Al-Badda, and Mrs. Hanadi Al-Halawani, a Murabita from Al-Quds, also presented audio recorded messages of persistence and steadfastness from the land of Palestine to all the free people of the world, most notably those present at the WGCQP's seventh conference.

For her part, Dr. Hayat Al-Musimi stressed in her speech about the Middle East, “Despite the plots of the Zionists and their attempt to drown the Islamic world in a sea of ​​rupture, Al-Quds, with its east and west, remains ours... Peace be upon Sheikh Jarrah Street, and the enemy has tasted the bitterness of passing through it...Peace be upon the mothers who rejoice upon martyrdom. They raise their palms when releasing prisoners... We mourn the death of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Qattan, who raised an entire generation with his lectures and sermons to love Palestine"....

The official opening concluded with a eulogy for the late journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, presented by her colleague Rawaa Oger, a journalist at Al Jazeera, in which she confirmed that Sherine’s killing was deliberate by the occupation forces, and that the deceased was known for her professionalism, humility, and love for the Palestinian cause, and that despite her death, she will remain alive in the minds of all who knew her…

In the second session of the opening day, there was a presentation of a number of projects within the Basma Program, which are youth initiatives from the Ummah to support the Palestinian cause. Among these projects is a youth initiative from Sudan to unify youth work to support Palestine. The “Step Project” initiative, which is an educational and cultural initiative for young people, and initiatives from Qatar “May Allah bring us closer to liberation” and “Toubrija... a brick in your hand, and the Ummah is a building, so it will either rise or perish” and the Tunisia initiative “an electronic learning project for adolescents.”

The Pal Studio project, whose first version was launched at this conference, was also presented. It is a platform for presenting realistic, inspiring ideas about Palestine. Its first version comes under the title “Voices from the Land of Olives,”A number of creative personalities participated in it, presenting their story with Palestine, such as the filmmaker Saba Al-Sharqawi, and Omar Assi, who came up with the idea of ​​a map of Palestine in a creative and innovative way, and the deceased Aya Abdul Rahman and her journey with the disease, and Sanaa Abu Daqqa, the mother of a girl born of freed sperm.

The fourth session witnessed a symposium entitled "Creating Awareness in Support of the Palestinian Cause," which was presented by a number of academics and specialists in the Palestinian issue. The speakers in the symposium agreed on the necessity of protecting Palestinian women, pointing out that the Palestinian cause must become a culture for everyone in our Islamic and Arab world.

Dr. Khaled Al-Owaisi, an academic and specialist in Al-Quds knowledge, said that the pain besetting the Palestinian cause is no less than the pain afflicting other Arab countries, stressing that the liberation of Al-Quds is not only liberation for Palestine, but liberation for all of us, and this issue is an issue linked to the entire nation. .

He pointed out that the large crowd of women coming from about 44 countries confirms the distinction of the city of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque, as we are all connected to it and this blessed land. Al-Owaisi stressed the necessity of what he described as the creation of Al-Quds residents in all countries, not just in Al-Quds, and that Al-Quds will be the capital of everyone who said there is no god but Allah, and not just for Palestine.

Al-Owaisi believed that the cognitive preparation precedes the military and political preparation, as the Nakba began with the occupation of minds and then with the occupation of the land since the British army set foot in the land of Palestine in 1917, as there was no problem with the British occupation, then there became a problem after it penetrated and deepened, and this is due to lack of knowledge and awareness.

Al-Owaisi explained three steps to the prophetic cognitive model according to his vision: The spiritual link, as the first qiblah was directed to by the first Muslims, then the religious link, where Al-Quds was mentioned in the Qur’an and then the prophets were directly linked to Al-Quds. The stories of Yahya, Isa, and Zakariya were in Al-Quds. Finally, the political link, as the Qur’an mentioned its prophecy about the defeat of the Children of Israel on the one hand and the defeat of the Romans on the other hand. The Prophet, may peace and blessings  be upon him, preached that Al-Quds would be the center of the coming caliphate, and Al-Owaisi pointed out that these three ties made him attached to the Companions, Al-Quds, well as Mecca and Medina.

Al-Owaisi believed that it is necessary to benefit from this approach so that Al-Quds and Palestine become the talk of the people, in the street, at home, and in school, where public opinion is, not football, soap operas, or anything else. Just as there are those who engineer their talk for societies, we must engineer the people, their conversation, and let this conversation be what relates to the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and that the connection to the Holy City be part of the air that we breathe. This includes, for example, that we learn one piece of information every day about the Holy City, just as the Prophet did not sleep every night without reciting Surat Al-Isra.

Al-Owaisi also called for the necessity of utilizing the economic sectors, pointing out that although it may not be economically feasible, it is psychologically feasible in that it remains connected to Al-Aqsa Mosque permanently and continuously.

In turn, academic and legal researcher Dr. Saeed Al-Dahshan said that women are aware of their value, know their role in society and their influence on it, and that the issue of creating a state of awareness for Palestinian women does not aim to raise awareness of their rights, but rather to activate their energies to preserve their rights.

Al-Dahshan reviewed the rights of Palestinian women in accordance with international law in times of war, stressing that international humanitarian law applies to the occupied territories from the first day of the occupation until its end in a full year, and all the Geneva Conventions and international agreements remain in effect. Likewise, according to state law, the occupation’s control over West Jerusalem does not have the basis of legitimate sovereignty. As for its occupation of East Jerusalem, it is undoubtedly a military occupation, and this means applying international humanitarian law conventions, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Hague Convention.

Al-Dahshan defined that violations of Palestinian rights and women are a violation of all humanitarian agreements and treaties, which is known as the law of war. Among the most prominent of these crimes is premeditated murder, as the occupation does not differentiate between men and women, and it is considered a war crime and a crime against humanity. Then, there is the violation of professional safety, and the arbitrary arrest and detention of many Palestinian women on the slightest suspicion or because they are close to a resistance fighter or martyr, etc., without bail or a fair trial or taking into account that she is a woman. There is also the demolition of homes and civilian facilities, intentionally causing severe suffering or serious harm to the body or health, as well as violations against places of worship, educational and health institutions, expansionist settlement activities, attacks on freedom of opinion and expression, and other crimes.

Al-Dahshan stressed that Israel is still violating its obligations even though it is a state party to the Fourth Geneva Convention and other agreements.

In his speech, Al-Dahshan touched on the oversight mechanisms that reveal and monitor the occupation’s violations, including periodic reports such as the Amnesty International report, then individual complaints from the individual against the state, as well as complaints from one state to another, as well as submitting the dispute to the International Court of Justice, which is a court specialized in trying states with civil rights, which means imposing a fine or compensation for damages.

Al-Dahshan recommended investing in international reports in support of the Palestinian issue, as well as calling on international governmental organizations and others to pressure towards opening an investigation into the crimes of the occupation. He called on the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its representative to carry out their responsibilities to expose Israeli violations of the rights of Palestinian children and women and work to persuade the countries in which they work to cooperate in curbing Israeli international crimes.

Rawaa Auge, media presenter at Al Jazeera spoke about the concept of creating media awareness, beginning her speech by praying for the soul of her colleague, Shireen Abu Akleh. She continued that talking about creating awareness leads to advocacy, and this is not an easy matter, especially since some see that interacting on a post on social media is an action, and it is sufficient. This has reinforced for some what has become known as the illusion of movement, and that solidarity with the Palestinian people and their cause is only by interacting on social media sites.

Auge stressed that empathy alone is not enough. Instead, it is the empathy that leads to field action on the ground, and it is here that the conversation shifts to awareness, and what we want to achieve. Auge stressed that global influence is important, and therefore, influence in the American street is the basis. Despite the importance of Speaking to the Arab street, she stressed that international influence, especially change in American public opinion, is the first priority that must be addressed, and this achieves a real and serious impact on the ground more than what Arab public opinion can achieve, which is weak in its own land and country and does not have that influence.

Auge believes that the concept of the Zionists or supporters of the Zionist cause and the entity must be changed, focusing rather on the large, neutral majority that does not care about what is happening in Palestine. The details that may seem simple in the lives of our people are what influence public opinion, and she considers one picture to not necessarily garner millions of likes and shares, but sharing of thousands of stories is the most important. For example, the operations of smuggling prisoners' sperm to are important stories that can spread the word, as well as the story of the young prisoner, Muhammad Manasra, and other examples.

She pointed out that one of the greatest dilemmas facing Palestinian media is the algorithms of social media sites, which always delete accounts that talk about and support the Palestinian issue and use its terms such as occupation, martyr, occupied Palestine, resistance, and others.

Auge called for breaking the siege on the Palestinian cause and repositioning it as the cause of a people facing genocide and apartheid and who deserve dignity and freedom in life.

For her part, Dr. Hiba Izzat, Professor of Political Science at Ibn Khaldun University, stressed in her intervention titled "Creating Educational Awareness" that every work in support of the Palestinian cause must be networked in order to liberate the Holy Land.

The first day of the conference concluded with a charity evening by presenting the Family Pledge Project “74^th Journey to Palestine,” which aims to support the steadfastness of Palestinian women who are the breadwinners in their families.