By M.A. Baig, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Renowned Middle-East affairs expert Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan lectured on ‘Blockade of Gaza Strip and callousness of humanity’ at Jamaat-e-Islami Hind headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday, 26th January.
Elaborating the injustices done to the Palestinians and especially to Hamas, Dr. Khan, President of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), said that Hamas won 74 of the 132-seat legislature, against 45 for Fatah. Yet it accepted to form a national unity government with Fateh which took most important portfolios. Hamas accepted this for the sake of the unity of Palestinians. But Israel and US did not accept even a national unity government and tried to eliminate Hamas from the power, while common man still favours Hamas.
Gaza Strip, a part of Palestine, was totally blockaded by Israel from 18th January 2008. Earlier since June 2007, Gaza was facing 90% blockade.
‘By blockading Gaza, Israel thought that Gazans would revolt against Hamas due to their suffering but Hamas wrecked the Israeli strategy by breaking open the border checkpoint of Rafah in Egypt by bulldozers and around 7 lakhs people entered Egypt to buy their basic necessities of life. And when, two days later, Egypt tried to close checkpoint, Hamas broke another one’, he added. US blocked 200 millions dollars aid to Egypt because Egypt’s President showed slight sympathy with the Gazans and said that ‘this is a humanitarian problem’.
Prof. John Dugard, the UN rapporteur in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, termed the blockade as a “serious war crime” and said that the Israeli military and political leaders responsible for it should be tried.
Dr. Khan disclosed that he wants to send Rs 28 lakh-worth medical relief to a Gaza hospital but has failed for the last one year due to Israeli hurdles.
He said that after Gaza was taken obver by Hamas last June, Abbas’s pro-Israeli government stopped the paying the salaries of 20,000 Gazan employees. Yet Hamas has been able to pay their salaries. Hamas was standing up against the world’s the fifth largest military power and despite all the hurdles was running the Gaza government efficiently despite the fact that no Muslim or Arab country was backing Hamas which enjoys great popular support among the masses in the Arab World and beyond.
Dr Khan lashed at the Indian government for remaining silent on the Gaza blockade issue as well as Arun Gandhi who was compelled to resign from his own institute in the US due to candid comments which infuriated Israel and Jews.
Dr Khan informed the audience that a dharna will be organised on Tuesday, 29 January at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to protest against the blockade of Gaza and demand quick action by world powers.