22 May 2018•Update: 22 May 2018
By Rafiu Ajakaye
LAGOS, Nigeria
A Nigerian Muslim body called on international community to pressure the U.S. and Israel to stop atrocities against Palestinians.
“After 70 years since the Palestinian people were evicted from their houses and turned into refugees, another 60 innocent young men and women were killed by Israeli snipers and over 2,000 were injured,” Abdul Waheed Atoyebi, chief of the Muslim Awareness International, told a news briefing in Lagos on Tuesday.
“The Israeli government as usual continues to be defiant, using deception, lies and false narratives to defend their indefensible crimes against humanity.”
Atoyebi said the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was “provocative and exposed Washington as a biased party that could no longer serve the cause of justice or fairness on the Palestinian issue.”
He praised Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for showing “unequivocal solidarity” with the Palestinians. He also commended South Africa and Nigeria which have registered their protests at the maltreatment of the Palestinians.
“The whole world is taking note of the great roles Turkey is playing. We call on the Arab league to wake up from their slumber and follow the steps of countries who are standing up to be counted. Arab nations should stop burying their heads in the sand while Palestine and Islam’s third holiest site are under constant attacks,” Atoyebi said.
He called on the UN to go beyond the symbolic criticism of Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and impose appropriate sanctions to force Israel and its allies to revisit their decisions.
