IUMS Secretary-General Dr. Ali Al-Sallabi Urges Decisive Arab and Islamic Action to Halt Palestinian Genocide and End Occupation Crimes
The Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Dr. Ali Muhammad Al-Sallabi, has called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to lead an urgent international initiative to stop the ongoing genocide targeting the Palestinian people for over 14 months. He emphasized that these crimes constitute blatant violations of international laws.
Dr. Al-Sallabi condemned the actions of Israeli occupation forces against unarmed civilians in Gaza, describing them as illegal and unethical, and categorizing them as “criminal acts” under international law, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Destruction of Gaza’s Essential Infrastructure
Al-Sallabi stated:
“The occupation forces have destroyed basic life necessities in Gaza, including schools, universities, governmental institutions, and homes. They have cut electricity and water supplies and blocked access to food and medicine. We now witness children dying of hunger and cold in unprecedented and heartbreaking scenes in both ancient and modern history.”
He further criticized the occupation for not only focusing on settlement expansion and the Judaization of Al-Aqsa Mosque but also directly targeting human lives, including protected hospitals.
“The latest crime was the assassination of Dr. Hossam Abu Safieh, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, in clear violation of all conventions,” he said.
Responsibility of Arab and Islamic Nations
Al-Sallabi underscored that saving the Palestinians, in light of the major powers’ bias toward Israel, is a responsibility that falls on the OIC, the Arab League, and GCC nations.
He called on these entities to assume their historic responsibilities, stating:
“The OIC was founded on the principle of supporting the Palestinian cause. The Arab League considers it a central issue, while Gulf nations are directly affected by the repercussions of this unjust war. Supporting the oppressed and defending their rights is both a religious and humanitarian obligation.”
He also appealed to major Islamic institutions, including Al-Azhar, to utilize all available means of pressure to save Palestinians from certain death, whether due to Israeli bombardments or the lack of food, medicine, and severe cold.
Warnings of Wider Consequences
Dr. Al-Sallabi warned that the crimes of the Israeli occupation would not remain confined to Palestinians alone:
“What we are witnessing today could extend to others, as the ambitions of the occupiers know no bounds, and their crimes face no deterrence.”
Targeting of Gaza’s Health Infrastructure
Palestinians in Gaza, particularly in the northern governorate, face catastrophic humanitarian conditions due to the intensified Israeli blockade and the systematic targeting of infrastructure. Patients at the Indonesian Hospital live in dire conditions following extensive destruction, lacking basic necessities amid restrictions on food and medicine supplies.
According to UN reports, Israel has conducted over 136 airstrikes on 27 hospitals and 12 medical facilities in Gaza over the past eight months, reflecting a systematic policy of targeting the healthcare system.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has warned of imminent loss of life due to the depletion of medical supplies. This comes after Israeli forces destroyed the infrastructure of the Indonesian Hospital, forcing patients to relocate there under bombardment from the partially destroyed Kamal Adwan Hospital.
Ongoing Genocide
Israeli occupation forces have implemented policies of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza for nearly three months, employing starvation, dehydration, mass destruction of cities, and massacres against civilians.
On October 5, Israeli forces launched a new offensive aimed at creating a buffer zone following the forced displacement of residents.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have resulted in over 154,000 casualties in Gaza. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli aggression has claimed 835 Palestinian lives and injured approximately 6,700 others, according to official Palestinian data.
Urgent Calls for Action
Amidst ongoing crimes, calls for urgent international action to halt violations and protect the Palestinian people have intensified, yet the international community remains indifferent, with some major powers complicit in supporting the occupation.
Source: Arabi21
