Media Statement by Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)

JIM MEDIA STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ISRAELI ATTACKS ON GAZA, PALESTINE

Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) strongly condemns the onslaught of barbaric atrocities, rendered by the Zionist regime, towards the people of Palestine. This, yet another brutal wave of attacks are uncalled for and unsurpassed ever since the regime began to besiege the people of Palestine from their rightful homeland in the year 1948 and then occupied Baitul Maqdis in the year 1967. The people of Gaza had underwent undescribable pain and suffering since 18 months ago as a result of the closure of its boundaries by Israel, resulting in depletion of food and medical supplies, and as if that is not enough, the ongoing onslaught of Israel forces, equipped with their F-16 jet fighters and Apachee helicopter on innocent civilians are indeed inhumane!

The number of civilians killed in Gaza has surmounted to 300 people while 700 have been injured as casualties. This number will continue to rise as more people are trapped under the houses ruined under mortar attacks. Up until this moment in time, there are no signs indicating that these attacks from Israel will cease, as stipulated by their spokesman to the President of France yesterday. In fact, the military forces of Israel have been gearing their efforts at the frontiers of Gaza, ready to pounce their biggest attack ever at any time now. More destruction and death can be expected amongst the people of Gaza.

JIM rejects Israel’s claim that its most recent attack is an act of security measure and to protect itself. This is yet another lie concurred by Israel. For the past 6 months, Israel has been planning the attack, in fact, as soon as the period for ceasefire expired on the recent 19th of December. The missile attacks by the people of Palestine was used as an excuse to justify the attack by Israel. The excuse by this illegal nation of Israel is blatantly inhumane. The Palestinian missile attack were acts of retaliation to the endless provocations dangled by the Israeli armed forces including the occupation of the provinces in the Gaza district during the commencement of ceasefire agreement.

JIM wants to call upon the attention of people of global ranks and international standings to the fact that, the attacks were executed towards the last few days of the school holidays in Gaza, glaringly indicate that the zionist regime has treacherous motives to actually maximize their target victims amongst civilians, especially women and children who are residing within their homes. These attacks have also been seen to focus upon police stations, vicinities of which were nearby the bigger cities. This also clearly shows their intentions to hurt and kill as many civilians as possible in the exercise.

JIM urges the people of Malaysia to be wary of the western media which are controlled by the zionists, and also the statements by the leaders of the US, Israel, Egypt and powers that be of Palestine who are reeling away from discussing the real issues and hiding facts about the struggles of the people of Gaza and Palestine. These statements from them do not paint the true picture and are always one sided. JIM wants to invite Malaysians to look and learn about the basic facts and view this issue from more holistic perspectives, from factual and historical factors, basic human rights, freedom of speech, rights of women, children and the elderly or on whatever humanistic grounds that exist today. While we remember the historic 31st August as our day of independence for Malaysia; in actual fact, the date 31st August 1879 B.C. was the date of the Basel Conference in Switzerland, the date whereby the movement for the establishment of the country state for the Jews was signed. This was followed by the Balfor Declaration for the realization of this. In the year 1948, the illegal state of Israel was declared altogether by the U.S.

From that moment on, Israel became the proxy state of the U.S. supremacy. In the war of 1967 between the Arabs and Israel, the military forces of Israel have overpowered Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) and which has resulted in the cruel seizure of lands of Palestine from its people. The onslaught of ”Jewing” Palestine lands was officially launched.

The land of Palestine has since been incarcerated by 6 million Jews as a result of this Zionist act, while the people of Palestine has been reduced to mere refugees in a land that was rightfully their own. For 60 years, the people of Palestine have been put on stakes and then drenched in warfare. They are being subjected to numerous torture and cruelty by the ruling Israelis, denied any sympathy nor compassion in their plight.

Their elderly have been shoven away from their own home and land, their men beaten, left to die or killed brutally, their women raped and mutilated, their young blasted alive, their homes wrecked, burnt down and destroyed. The Jews have adultered Masjidil Aqsa, open firing the Islamic fighters and their leaders even when they are engaged and in the middle of their prayers and are unarmed.

The people of Palestine who dream of living their lives in freedom are caught and caged, for tens of years, confined to their small, impoverished, dark holes which they call home. They are subjected to treatment akin to animals in capture, only that animals may be more humane than the Jews (May the wrath of God be upon them!).

JIM calls upon the people of Malaysia to ponder upon these facts. At present, less than a third of the children of Palestine could get to finish their basic education while less than 9% could get through until their secondary level. 73% of the people of Palestine are unemployed. More heartrending is the fact that, the number of people of Palestine who are able to eat a meal a day is only 46%. A medical officer could only treat 1,700 patients. 3 million Palestinians became convicts in the biggest bastille in the world when they surrounded by the Israeli military forces against their will by a wall, measuring 720 km by 8-12 meters high. More than 11,000 Palestinians are being imprisoned by Israel. Some, for more than 30 years.

The numerous checkpoints put up by Israel armed forces at various locations have added salt to injury to the people of Palestine. This include Palestinian women, would-be mothers at their last trimester, who when subjected to severe trauma, to the point that they deliver their babies at the checkpoints. Reports have also been received about patients left to die in ambulances while on emergency trips to the hospitals, because of unnecessary interrogations.

The people of Palestine are in utter despair. Some are refugees at camps, without clean water supply, medical aids, food and proper sanitation. Their lives are much in distraught and their sufferings never ending. For tens of years, they have been denied of their rights to be at their homeland Palestine, which is rightfully theirs. Until today, 8,250 Palestinian houses have been destroyed and they have been driven away from their own homeland. 18,031 homes have been entirely destroyed on the Western Bank and Gaza. What kind of government, humans and civilized principle have been upheld by this so-called nation of Israel?

The reality today is, Israel has barricaded the borders of Gaza and refused to open the doors for supply of food, medical aids, fuel, clean water and any form of humane intervention. As a matter of fact, the conditions faced by the people of Palestine have forced them to resort to consuming the grass growing at the roadsides as food, in order to survive. Hence, in line with the Geneva Convention, the people of Palestine have every right to defend themselves from illegal occupation of foreign forces and supremacies.

As a matter of deep concern for the people of Gaza and on solidarity grounds, JIM calls upon the Muslim ummah to conduct special prayers on a grand scale with the main intention being to awaken the important realization amongst Muslims to gear up our efforts to assist our brethren who have suffered enough and are drowned in misery in Gaza and the land of Palestine. Muslims should earnestly feel the cry for empathy and utmost concern as this issue is associated with the Holy Land of Baitul Maqdis, on whose grounds stands the blessed Masjid Al Aqsa.

JIM will continue to step up its activities and upgrade its efforts to bring about fundings and donations via Tabung Bersamamu Palestin through relentless methods, campaigns, pleas, websites, talks and sessions at schools, offices, public venues, suraus, masjids and the like.

JIM hopes to gain the support of the whole of Malaysian society whom we believe will give generously towards this cause through this stated account: Maybank 562209608847 under the name Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia.

Moving forward, JIM urges Malaysian citizens to join hands in:

1. Conducting mass prayers (Solat Hajat) on a grand scale with the main intention to awaken the realization amongst Muslims to gear up efforts to assist our brethren who have suffered enough. What is more, the Holy Land of Batul Maqdis, on whose grounds stands the blessed Masjidi Al Aqsa, is something that is very close to our hearts as Muslims.

2.Launching and stirring up more efforts in fundings for the Palestinians through various efforts, campaigns, pleas, websites, talks and special sharing sessions at schools, offices, public venues, suraus and others.

3.Distributing leaflets and circulars in and around public places, dissipating the real and factual issues regarding Palestine.

4.Having sermons specially addressing the issues of people of Palestine and the call for their emancipation.

5.Calling upon the younger generation to equally assist us, opening their eyes about the fate and state of the Palestinians, and garnering their support through creative efforts, including sports and competitions such as footsal, Parkour demonstrations, walkathons, cyclathons and similar acitivities.

6.Voicing out our views (personal and groups) through blogs, maling-lists, alternative news media and mainstream media, international news media and newspapers, emails to the governments of the USA, the illegal nation of Israel, and the countries of the EU.

7.Capitalizing the package available in JIM on Palestinian issues whenever and wherever the need be.

8.Putting on the attire emblazoned with this issue of Palestinian, as a mark of solidarity and support for them.

9. Coming, attending and to lend support to the programme "Training of Palestinian Speakers" (TOPS) which will be held in the near future.

10. Attending mass gatherings, demonstrations, press statements events, etc. and putting on the ’Support Palestinian’ attire that may be purchased through Mr. Md. Nasir bin Tampoi, Executive Officer, JIM Central Committee Member, 014-3110628).

11. Offering oneself as a volunteer or relief aid with JIM or other NGOs to the Middle East.

Last, but not least, JIM wants to express their solemnest and most bitter sadness on the calamities and sufferings that have beseiged the people of Palestine at Gaza, at a time when the whole of the Muslim world are heralding the coming of the month of Muharram, the first month of the new year in the Muslim calendar (1430 Hijriah) and at a time when the curtains are about to fall for the year 2008, with the advent of 2009. Has this event symbolized that this new year means a never ending hardship for the people of Palestine? For these reasons, JIM urges everyone, from all strata, irrespective of race, colour, creed and kin throughout the whole of Malaysia to come forward, to speak up, and voice out, against all the atrocities and carnage that have been pummelled by the Zionist Regime, fueled with the consent given by the U.S., to be put to a stop; immediately.

Ir. Hj. Zairulshahfuddin Zainal Abidin

Vice President (International Relations)

Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)

02 Januari 2009 / 5 Muharam 1430H