PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Sunday held protest rallies across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to express solidarity with the Palestinians and condemn an agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel aimed at establishing their diplomatic relations.

In Peshawar, the ‘Al-Quds’ rally was held at Chowk Yadgar wherein the speakers urged the UAE to review its decision as it had hurt the sentiments of Ummah.

The speakers, including JI Peshawar chief Atteeq-ur-Rahman and JI youth wing leader Noor Ghulam Afrdi, insisted that US President Donald Trump had brokered the deal between the UAE and Israel to win the next presidential elections. They said the UAE disregarded the sacrifices rendered by thousands of Palestinians for their cause.

They said the JI won’t give up its struggle for the Palestinian’s cause.

In Swabi, the JI leaders while speaking at a protest demonstration declared that the UAE-Israel agreement on normalising their relations under an American-brokered deal would have adverse affects on the Muslim world.

Protest rallies held in different cities

The JI leaders and workers gathered at the main office in district headquarters and marched to Karnal Sher Khan Chowk in a big procession chanting slogans against the ‘US-hatched’ conspiracies against the Muslim countries.

The protesters warned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government to stay away from the plan to weaken the Muslim countries and further boost the Israeli position.

They said Israel would continue to devour the Palestinians’ land because the Israeli prime minister had declared that the West Bank annexation was very much on the cards, and it was totally wrong to say that the recognition of Israel would stop further annexation of Palestinian territories.

Mehmoodul Hassan, acting chief of JI, claimed that the US, UK and Israel had a long-term plan to deprive the Muslims of their land in the heart of Middle East.

Saeed Zada, another JI leader, said the UAE decision to embrace Israel would have far-reaching effects on the Muslim world.

In Swat, the JI activists staged protest rally against the recent UAE-Israel move, terming it an act of treason by the UAE rulers with the Muslims.

Led by the Swat chapter emir Mohammad Amin Khan, the protest rally started from Mingora and converged in front of the Swat Press Club, with the participants holding banners inscribed with slogans against the UAE, Israel and the US.

They declared that the Jewish lobby was behind the ties’ normalisation deal between the UAE and Israel facilitated by US president Donald Trump.

“To get the support of Jewish community in the upcoming elections Donald Trump hatched the scheme by putting pressure on the UAE. It is a direct recognition of Israeli state by the Emirates,” said Mohammad Amin, adding the deal was part of the conspiracy against the holy cities of Makkah and Madina by the Jewish lobby.

“The Ummah should wake up and realise the hidden plan of Israel to make all the Muslim countries of the Middle East its slaves. Such an agreement will pave way for ultimate destruction of Arabs in the region,” said Rahmat Ali, a JI leader from Kabal tehsil.

They called on OIC to call an emergency meeting to condemn the act and issue a collective stance against it.

In Karak, the JI activists took out a rally in the district headquarters against the recent UAE-Israel agreement to restore diplomatic relations.

The rally was led by JI provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan.

The rally started from the Town Hall Karak and after passing through different parts of the city converged into a big public gathering at Saddam Chowk.

The participants chanted slogans against Israel and in favour of Palestinians.

Addressing the rally, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, district president Zahoor Khan and former district president Tasleem Iqbal condemned the unjust occupation of Al-Quds by Israel.

The speakers paid tributes to the Palestinians for their just struggle to liberate their land from Israeli occupation.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2020