Gaza, which has been under the control of Hamas, ever since they were voted to power in a free and fair election, supervised by former US president Jimmy Carter, has been subjected to cruel Israeli bombardment indiscriminately killing men, women, children and the aged besides destroying mosques, schools, hospitals and all other such infrastructure facilities.

Israel and its supporters in the US, Europe and even in the Middle East were alarmed when Hamas, which insists on peace with Israel, with dignity, was elected in a free election. Thus from the very inception Israel conspired to destroy this flourishing democracy in Gaza, which threatened the Arab rulers who were all dictators, imposed on the people and not elected by the people. Their prime target was to destroy Hamas and replace it with a complying Palestinian Authority under Mahmoud Abbas, who was bribed millions of dollars and provided with arms and arms training to divide the Palestinians.

The result was the division within Palestinian ranks. Israel backed by its supporters first tried to force the Palestinians to set up against Hamas by imposing an economic blockade, depriving the Palestinians of food, medicine, water, electricity and all other such essential needs for more than 20 months, in one of the worst forms of cruelties ever known in human history. However, they failed to break the spirit of the Palestinians who cherish their freedom and dignity rather then capitulating to the Zionists.

These economic blockades also exposed the Western claim of promoting democracy as a farce. Unable to break the will of the Palestinians, the Zionists backed by the US, UK and Europe, together with some Arab regimes, plotted to oust Hamas by military means. The result is the barbaric Israeli killing of Palestinians in Gaza, trying to destroy Hamas and install Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestine Authority into power so that Israel could continue its evil designs on the Palestinians.

The tragedy is that this heinous crime is being committed with the backing of the United States, Britain and the European Union with some Arab countries remaining spectators doing nothing to save their brethren. As if the aerial bombardment by US supplied F 16 fighter planes and helicopter gunships were not enough Israeli troops have been preparing for a ground assault in one of the worst forms of violations of human rights and international laws. This is war crime by all standards.

As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, there have been speculations of sinister efforts by the Israeli spy network, the Mossad, together with anti Muslim elements to destabilize the Muslim community here as well. In this regard, I would like to highlight the great concern among Muslims after a meeting an Eastern Province Muslim Minister from the Batticaloa District had with Israeli officials in Colombo.

Under the circumstances, I urge all to Pray to Almighty Allah to protect the Palestinian people and our first Qibla Masjid Al Aqsa from the evil deeds of the Zionists whose crimes are common knowledge and are a shame to the entire civilized world.