YOUTH CAFE 2008 AND INTERFAITH PRAYER VIGIL FOR PALESTINE

2008 June 7 | Quezon City, Philippines

Message of Solidarity for the 60th Anniversary
of the Palestinian Nakba

By MORO-CHRISTIAN PEOPLE’S ALLIANCE and LIGA NG KABATAANG MORO (Moro Youth League)

Assallam Allaikum...

We give our greetings and thanks to the organisers of this gathering to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the grim attack on Arabs by Zionist Israel in 1948, an event that resulted in the wholesale murder and massive evictions of Palestinians from their lands. Then as now the tragedy continues.

It is but logical that Muslims throughout the world including the Muslims in the Philippines should be in the forefront in the struggle against the unjust invasion and occupation of Palestine by Zionist Israel, given the fact that majority of Palestinians are of the same faith. We are, thus, very grateful to our brothers and sisters here today who are in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle even as they are of different faiths.

Our being here together is a recognition that the Palestine-Israeli conflict is not about religion. It is a conflict between an occupying power and an occupied people defending their country and their own identity.

Palestinians are fighting for their space in the world: their right to their own land, their right as an ethnic group, their right to live as citizens of a free country; a struggle that Zionist Israel refuses to recognise. They arrogate Palestine for themselves on the grounds that they alone are the “chosen people of God according to the sacred text,” a belief that is anathema to the teachings of all world religions: that we are all creatures with the right to live in freedom, prosperity, and dignity regardless of gender, race, colour, or faith.

It is clear that Israel did not invade Palestine for religious reasons. The main reasons are the economic and political interests of the Israeli ruling class, their desire to become the power of the entire Middle East and control the wealth of the region.

As supporters of the Palestinian struggle, we need to be clear about the power behind Israel, that which enables it to be arrogant and militaristic. Doing otherwise would result to insignificant gains. The United States, the most powerful country in the world today, is the main ally and supporter of Israel against the Palestinians.

The United States relies on Israel to ascertain that its objective to rule over the entire Middle East and protect US economic and political interests in this area of the world is realised. Thus condemning Israel’s invasive and violent character and desire for hegemony over the Middle East should be accompanied by firm condemnation as well of the US imperial posturing over the whole world.

The struggle of the Palestinians is not much different from that of the Philippine Moro people’s. Land, national identity, struggle against discrimination are the same issues we face. Land rights, livelihood, dignity are the issues of our Moro compatriots. And behind the Philippine government in maintaining its oppressive policies is the United States.

For Palestinians and Filipinos, as well as for the majority of the world’s people, the same conditions prevail. We are oppressed, exploited, and are being deprived to live free to prosper with dignity as humans. We have a common enemy that strangles our hope of achieving our goals. For as long as imperialism rules the world, we and the majority of the world’s people will continue to live this marginal life.

Arm-in-arm let us unite and together move forward in the struggle
to create our paradise here on earth.
Long live the struggle of the Palestinian people!
Long live the Filipino people!

Thank you.

The original Filipino text of this message was read during the Prayer-Vigil commemorating the Nakbah, held on June 7, 2008 in Quezon City, Philippines; translation into English by Vivian de Lima.