U.S. Islamic leaders urge Muslim-majority nations to take action to end Gaza conflict : NPR
The Islamic Center of America mosque in Dearborn, Michigan.
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Images Bill Pugliano / Getty
More than 90 Muslim researchers, imams, community leaders and institutions in the United States have published a joint declaration Calling Muslim majority countries to take “immediate and concrete measures” to put an end to what they have described as an increasing genocide in Gaza by Israeli forces.
The signatories have called the Muslim nations – in particular the Arab states – to take advantage of their political and economic influence, in particular by measures such as the separation of links with Israel, the imposition of oil and gas embargoes and the border crossings of opening for humanitarian aid.
“Business as usual in international affairs simply do not work,” the statement said. “We believe that the governments of the Nations of Muslim major in the world should not wait for the” international community “to increase conscience.”
Among the signatories of the letter are the Council for American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Alliance in North America, the Islamic Society of North America and the American Council for Muslim organizations.
Israel denied the accusations of genocide to characterize its military actions in Gaza after the attack on October 7, 2023 by Hamas, which killed nearly 1,200 people. Hamas has also taken up more than 250 Israeli civilians and military staff during the operation. Since then, Israeli air strikes and attacks have killed at least 61,000 Palestinians, a third of which, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Muslim leaders ask Muslim nations to do 5 steps
The joint declaration suggested that five specific actions for Muslim majority of Muslim countries to consider, in particular by reducing economic, diplomatic, intelligence and military ties with Israel, including the agreement known as Abraham Agreements negotiated during the first Trump administration.
He also called on nations to block the use of their airspace and their military installations in support of Israeli operations, and to open earth passages such as Rafah to allow convoys of assistance, doctors, journalists and demonstrators to enter Gaza.
The signatories also urged governments to lead diplomatic convoys to Gaza level passages and to personally require Israel to allow the flow of assistance without restriction.
The growing humanitarian crisis in the torn enclave has led to the conviction of various governments around the world and has raised concerns among Jewish leaders in the United States
While the declaration of Muslim leaders stressed that the crisis should concern everyone, he noted that the situation has a particular meaning for the world Muslim community, or OummahGiven what he called “openly racist and anti-Muslim” policies of Israel.
The letter comes when Israel announced the plans on Friday to extend the war in Gaza and take control of Gaza City, one of the rare areas of the enclave which does not undergo under the control of Israel.
In response to the expansion provided by Israel of war, Jewish reform leaders in the United States their own declarationCalling Israel to “choose life for our hostages, our soldiers and innocent civilians in Gaza by finishing – not by extending – this war.”
“We are deeply in distress that the Israeli security firm approved the plan of Prime Minister Netanyahu to extend Israeli control over the Gaza Strip,” said the president and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest branch of Judaism in the United States, in the press release.
