Jamaat al-Muslimeen International Press Release
Islamists, Christians, Socialists, Secularists Unite Against Israel
Creative Response to Israel's Murder and Rapine
(Also , scroll down to radio interview)
"And remember Moses said to his people: 'O my people!
you have indeed wronged yourselves by your WORSHIP
OF THE CALF.
So turn in repentance to your Maker ... (The Qur'an 2:54)
At the Al-Awda (right of return) rally held at Union Square in
New
York City on April 7, there was a naughty effigy of Yaser Arafat, with
his
nose high in the air, away from reality. A carboard Israeli tank was
pelted
by Palestinian children. Palestinian flags swung above the crowd of
more than
a thousand, some of them emblazoned with the revolutionary KALIMA of
Islam.
Some Palestinians prayed, others danced (even their dances are
defiant, symbolizing the spirit of resistance to the Zionist machine.)
Speaker after speaker urged unity to end the genocidal Israeli actions
against the Palestinian people.
Numerous young Palestinians were very active in the rally with
banners
against U.S. aid to Israel.
Prof. Edward Said spoke, eloquently, expressing the secularist
viewpoint. Islamists too were well represented by Dr. Sami al-Arian,
Dr.
Mazen al-Najjar and Br. Rafiq Jaber (President of IAP). Socialist
groups
proliferated ranging from SWP to Workers' World to the RCP. The IAC
(whose
leader is Ramsey Clark) was active. A West Indian supporter of Jamaat
al-Muslimeen was distributing a stack of New Trend magazines.
A sensational speech was made by George Habash (PFLP leader) by
telephone from Jordan and drew loud applause as he condemned Israeli
racism.
COVERAGE OF THE RALLY BY WCBS 880:
In its coverage of the rally, radio WCBS 880 interviewed Dr. Kaukab
Siddique and broadcast a brief segment of it LIVE from the rally after
identifying him as the representative of Jamaat al-Muslimeen. Dr.
Siddique
summed up the speeches as follows: The Palestinians are saying: If the
U.S.
is to have any moral relevance to the Middle East, it must stop funding
Israel's war machine. We have nothing against Jews but we cannot allow
them
to usurp our homeland.
Dr. Siddique was spotted by the media because he was holding a
placard
which said: "LET MY PEOPLE GO OR THE LORD WILL SMITE YOU. Free Shaikh
Omar.
Free Imam Jamil. Free All Palestinian Prisoners"
Jamaat al-Muslimeen hails the unity of the Palestinian people
against
Zionism. As one speaker pointed out: Sharon, an arch criminal and
terrorist
is the leader of the Jewish State.
We must do all we can to expose, denounce and defeat this frankenstein
created by the U.S.A.
(It is worth noting that a few Jews also came to the rally to condemn
Israel's violence against Palestinian children.)
Owing to heavy police presence, clashes with Zionist Jews, who abound
in New
York, were avoided.)
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www.NewTrendMag.org
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2001-04-09 Mon 13:41ct