SHAFAQNA- Today Millions of people across the world gathered for the commemoration of International Quds Day while recently Donald Trump has introduced the holy Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of the Zionist regime of Israel and some Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain supported this act of the Zionist regime and the United States.
The US move in opening its embassy in Quds as a sign of recognition of the holy city as the capital of the Zionist regime fuelled the protests, IRNA reportes. On the same day (May 14), at least 60 Palestinian protestors were killed by Israeli forces.
Since the late March when the protests began, at least 115 Palestinians have been killed by live munitions of Israeli forces, and thousands have been injured.
The cruelty and illegal measures of Tel Aviv, and the US as its main sponsor, have prompted Muslim leaders, particularly the Iranians, to emphasize the importance of the Quds Day this year for confronting the oppression.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on the demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (June 4) called for marking Quds Day more gloriously than ever.
According to AhlulBayt News Agency, Allama Syed Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi, deputy secretary general, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen of Pakistan, has announced at a press conference that more rallies would be staged across the country in connection with International Quds Day on Friday to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said Friday that Jerusalem is the “essence of a struggle that has been ongoing for 70 years,” and called for unified Arab and Muslim support for the Palestinian cause, The Daily Star reports.
“We might have different positions on other issues such as Syria, Lebanon or Iraq, but not this issue,” he said in a televised speech marking al-Quds Day.
Nasrallah criticized those who adopted a pro-Israel position in order to curry favor with the United States. “Some of the countries in the region seek to undermine the Palestinian plight in order to gain American support,” he said, calling on teachers in universities and schools, as well as religious leaders, to help end the practice.
Leaders in Palestine, in Yemen and in other parts of the world have also urged a big turnout in the rallies.
In Tehran and other cities and towns, people from all walks of life are taking to the streets for the annual event which falls on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Hawzah News Agency reports.
Similar events are planned in London and Toronto as well as in 800 cities worldwide, which usually see people chanting anti-Israeli slogans and burning the occupying regime’s flags.
Organizers in Toronto said the theme of the rally is to push for “justice, peace and love” and countering Islamophobia and racism as well as opposing the “Zionism and Israeli war crimes”.
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