August 2 Quds rallies in view of world’s pro-Palestinian activists

Quds News Agency (Qudsna) has interviewed a number of pro-Palestinian activists from across the world on the August 2 international rallies on Quds. The personalities believed that the upcoming rallies would be far more impressive under the auspices of the Islamic Awakening movement that has motivated the middle east and north Africa and which is otherwise is erroneously called ‘Arab Spring’ by the western media.
A summary of the interviews follows.

Zatari: Imam Khomeini revived Palestine
Secretary General of the Syrian religious consultancy in Syria said that late Imam Khomeini kept alive the Quds issue in the minds of all people in the world.
Sheikh Allauddin Zatari said that Quds is the pivot of attention of all Muslims.
Sheikh Zatari believes that the current Islamic Awakening started after Imam Khomeini designated the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as the International Quds Day.
He urged all Muslims to support Quds and Al-Aqsa mosque, adding the Quds issue was the axis of Islamic unity.

Moulavi: Intl. Quds Day will be day of liberation of Quds
Sheikh S.L.M. Hassan Moulavi, Leader of the House-eastern provincial council of Sri Lanka said “God willing, one day of international Quds Day ceremonies we will witness liberation of Quds from the claws of Zionist occupiers”.
In light of the current Islamic uprisings in the West Asian and North African countries, the international day would see much more magnificent ceremonies, he said.
Touching on regional developments, he said the Muslim uprisings would certainly remove many of the problems of the world of Islam.
"Surely, the current developments and Islamic Awakening in the region have been inspired by the thoughts of Imam Khomeini," he added.
The personality urged all Muslims in the world to stage a mass turnout on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
Sheikh Moulavi also thanked the Islamic Republic for its support to the Palestinian issue.

Ghandil: Quds day offers sole path to free Palestine
Lebanese political expert Ghaleb Ghandil says the designation by Imam Khomeini of the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as international day of solidarity with Palestinians shows the depth of his attitude and stance towards the Palestinian issue.
Director of the Center for Arab and International Strategic Studies in Lebanon told Qudsna that before the Imam designates the day, Israel was carrying out whatever it wished no-holds-barred however following the designation, Muslim abandoned their previous passive stance towards Israel.
The Lebanese expert said the international day is aimed at promoting people’s awareness concerning Palestine.
He also underlined the Islamic Republic’s role in supporting the popular resistance in Lebanon and Palestine.
As for the US plan for reviving the so-called ‘peace’ talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the expert said the only way to restore the Palestinian rights was resistance and not talks, adding that the international day of Quds offers the sole way to free Palestine.
The expert said true Palestinian leaders are ready to lay their lives in the path of struggle against Israel, adding that Israel was in a weak position at the moment. “Israel is no longer in a powerful position. It is possible to be defeated,” he said.

Adnan: Quds day, an event to reject hegemony
Senior member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement Sheikh Khaddar Adnan says the international Quds day is an event to reject all sorts of world arrogance.

Adnan told Qudsna that the international occasion empowered the Muslims to defend and protect the al-Aqsa mosque, the Palestinian captives and the Islamic sanctities.
He said the Palestinian people love those who strive for freedom of Palestine.
Asked about the US plan for resumption of PA-Israel talks, the Palestinian figure brushed aside the plan and expressed hope the international rally would help revive the Palestinian rights.
He said the Palestinian rights would only be restored through resistance.

Usman: Quds day, a day to unite against common enemy
Khazima Mohamad Usman, director general of Ghana’s Islamic institute says Imam Khomeini revived the Palestinian issue by designating the international Quds day.
The Ghanaian Mufti told Qudsna that Imam Khomeini called Muslims to unite and struggle against a common enemy.
The Muslim figure said Muslims will get victorious if they follow the recommendations of Imam Khomeini.
The Mufti also said Imam Khomeini presented a model for Islamic and Arab countries, adding that the current developments in the region are modeled from the Islamic revolution of Iran.
Khazima Usman called on Muslims to massively participate in the international rallies.

Kharisha: Quds day, chance for unity of Muslims
Hassan Kharisha, member of the Palestinian parliament (Hamas) says the designation of the international Quds day rallies by Imam Khomeini helped Muslims to further unite with one another in the struggle against Israel.
Kharisha said the upcoming August 2 rallies must be staged more exuberantly than ever, adding that the event was a chance to counter against the Israeli policies of home demolition in the occupied Palestine.
The Palestinian politician harshly criticized the international community and the Palestinian Authority for their indifference towards the demolition policies.
In another regard, the Palestinian lawmaker said resumption of talks with the Zionist regime will only end up in more judazation of the land of Quds and more expulsion of its aboriginal population.
As for the Egyptian developments, Kharisha said the US and Israel are behind the internal discord, adding that the two seek to keep Muslims away from the Palestinian issue.
The Palestinian personality thanked Iran for designation of the international day and said the day was a chance to defend the Palestinian nation.

Qasem: Quds day helped revive Palestinian issue
A senior Jordanian lawyer Anis Fozi Qasem says the Quds day reminds us of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Jordanian figure said Imam Khomeini by designating the day helped Muslims gather for the defense of the Palestinian nation and the occupied Quds (‘Jerusalem’).
He said the Palestinian issue started a new life following the Islamic Revolution of Iran, adding that the revolution caused resistance movements to form across the region.
The lawyer believed that this year’s Quds day rallies would be staged even more massively than ever following the regional developments.
He urged the regional governments to mode Iran in supporting Palestine.

Sayyed: Quds day, a trigger for Islamic awakening
Shahzad Sayyed, member of the Chicago’s council of world religions says the international Quds day has been indeed a driving factor behind the regional wave of Islamic awakening.
The Muslim personality also told Qudsna that the current awakening has been motivated and inspired by the Islamic revolution of Iran.
The personality urged Muslims to unite against the Zionist regime’s transgression, adding that Arab and Islamic countries should model Imam Khomeini’s attitude and conduct.
He expressed hope the late Imam’s promise would come true that Israel will vanish someday.

Rentisi: Quds day helps preserves position of the sacred city
Mohammad Rentisi, a physician in Gaza Hospital and a brother to the assassinated Hamas leader Abd al-Aziz Rentisi says the occupied al-Quds actually rests in the heart of the Palestinian nation and the world of Islam.

Rentisi told Qudsna that the August 2 international rally has played a significant role in preserving the status of Quds and the al-Aqsa mosque in the Muslim community.
Asked about the US pressures on the Palestinian Authority to return to table of compromise with Israel, the Palestinian personality said Israel has actually used the talks as a smoke-screen for expanding its judazation policies in the occupied al-Quds (‘Jerusalem’).
The personality said the international event must be used to convey to the world that the occupied city waits for individuals who may help wipe Zionists from its sanctities. Rentisi said the so-called peace talks would rather keep Palestinians away from efforts to liberate the Quds city.
The Palestinian figure expressed hope the day will come when the Arab and Muslim countries are freed from the yoke of their reactionary regimes.
He also wished this year’s international event would be boost for efforts to free the Palestinian nation and ease their plight.

Rosnak: Palestinian issue was revived by Quds day
A Polish politician says the late father of the Islamic revolution Imam Khomeini waked up the world Muslims concerning the Palestinian issue.
Chairman of the Polish Islamic council Sheikh Ahmad Rosnak told Qudsna that the late imam saved the Palestinian issue by designating the international Quds day rallies that falls on August 2 this year.
The polish Alim said every Muslim is duty-bound to join the rallies, adding that the rallies must be staged more massively than ever as a response to the regional developments.

Moussa: Day of Quds, globalized support to Palestine
Prayers leader of Stockholm Mosque Sheikh Hassan Moussa says Imam Khomeini, the late father of the Islamic Revolution put the Palestinian issue top on the world agenda by designating the international Quds day rallies.
The prayers leader said all the revolutionary people in the Middle East and North Africa are chanting for the liberation of the occupied Quds (‘Jerusalem’).
The pro-Palestinian figure said the world day remains as the symbol of support to the Palestinian issue.
He expressed hope this year’s international ceremonies would be held far more impressively than ever.

Al-Zin: Quds day, day of Muslim unity
A prominent Lebanese religious personality SAheikh Ahmad al-Zin says it was a national-religious duty to take part in the August 2 international Quds day rallies.
The head of the Lebanese Muslim Scholars General Council told Qudsna that Muslims must cherish the opportunity of the holy month of Ramadan for promoting unity among Muslims and turn the international rallies into a campaign against the western conspiracies.
 The Lebanese scholar enquired why Muslims have yet to unite with one another over 60 years after the occupation of Palestine while the European people quickly united following the World War Two.
The Lebanese scholar said the international day could provide a robust shield against the growing settlement building efforts by the Zionist regime.
Al-Zin harshly criticized the Arab states and the Palestinian Authority for racing towards the so-called peace talks with Israel. “The efforts are useless and would harm the Palestinian nation,” he said.

Egyptian journalist: Quds, everlasting capital of Palestine
An Egyptian journalist Nabil Seif says the international Quds day is an invaluable opportunity for Muslim nations to remember their duties concerning the occupied holy Quds.
Seif told Qudsna that Imam Khomeini, the late father of the Islamic Revolution declared the occupied Quds as everlasting capital of Palestine by designating the international day.
The journalist expressed hope the ceremonies would be held in Egypt despite the ongoing political crisis in the country.
Member of the Egyptian syndicate of journalists said the international occasion was a robust shield against the Israeli judaization policies.
He also noted that the Palestinian issue remains in the hearts of the Egyptian people despite all conspiracies made by enemies.
The journalist then touched on the ambiguous position of the deposed president Muhammad Mursi towards the Zionist regime, saying that Mursi failed to meet the demands of a majority of Egyptian people on scrapping the Camp David treaty with Israel.
He also touched on the destruction of Gaza tunnels in the wake of discord between Hamas and the Egyptian army. “Some individuals seek to harm the Gazan people by inciting difference between Hamas and the army,” he said.