President Donald Trump speaks alongside US Vice President Mike Pence (L) about the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by the United States in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House in Washington, DC, December 6, 2017. President Donald Trump on Wednesday recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital — a historic decision that overturns decades of US policy and risks triggering a fresh spasm of violence in the Middle East.SAUL LOEB / AFP
The Muslim Congress (TMC), Muslim Awareness International (MAI), Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) and The Companion (an association of Muslims in business and the professions) have called on the Nigerian Christians not to see the crisis in Jerusalem as a religious issue.
The groups at different press briefing described the issue as “purely diplomatic and flagrant violation international agreements and United Nations (UN) resolutions.
TMC President Dr Luqman AbdurRaheem said that the declaration, which has led to the loss of lives and injured many Palestinians in the last few days, is not in the interest of Christianity.
He said: “Let it also be known that the sufferings of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are not meted out to Muslims alone. Christians are also being persecuted in Palestine. Contrary to erroneous belief that the state of Israel represents Christianity, we Christians, about seven percent of the 12 million Palestinian population, while only two percent, about 171, 000 Christians are part of the 8.5 million Israeli population. Most of the Arab Christians have fled Occupied Palestine since 1948 after the forceful creation of Israel. The facts are there for anybody to crosscheck.
“It is rather unfortunate that many so-called educated Nigerians such as Reno Omokri and Femi Fani-Kayode are misleading the Nigerian Christian community to believe that the Palestinian struggle is Islam versus Judaism and Christianity. This is very wrong and it is sad how some Nigerians politicise the unjust and unilateral American decision to go against international law to recognise the disputed Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. United States President Donald Trump’s singular act drew wide condemnations from world leaders; religious leaders’ too, particularly Christian leaders have also condemned the act.”
The Companion National Amir, Alhaji Thabit Wale Sonaike said: “We stand in support of global opposition to this move and call on United States’ citizens to rise up against this move by President Trump to truncate the existing fragile peace in that part of the Middle East. The significance and historical antecedent of Jerusalem is too widely known for anybody to make attempt to re-write or appropriate the city. There is too much tension in the Middle East to start another controversy that may snowball into crisis in the region.”
MAI Director Waheed Atoyebi said: “The truth is, no matter how religious we might be, we cannot be more Catholic than the Pope. It should interest you to know that Pope Francis has also joined the world in criticising Trump’s illegal move.
The Pope, who has always been an advocate of peace in Palestine, said ‘I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has developed in recent days. And at the same time, I wish to make a heartfelt appeal to ensure that everyone is committed to respecting the status quo of the city, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. ’
“Just yesterday (Saturday), the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt cancelled his proposed scheduled meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, in protest against Washington’s move to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.”
MSSN Amir Dr Saheed Ashafa called on Nigerian Christians to follow the directions of these men of God to condemn Israel and the US.
The National Amirah, Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) described the recent declaration by President Donald Trump of the United States of America on Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as unacceptable, saying it is a threat to global peace.
“Jerusalem is not only the ancestral home for the Palestinians but also the location of the third holiest Mosque in Islam. As Muslims, we are sure that Allah does not break His promises and sooner than later Palestine will be free,”
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