ISTANBUL

British singer Yusuf Islam on Saturday called for a cease-fire in Gaza as he addressed the "Great Palestine Meeting" a pro-Palestine rally in Istanbul.

'This is not a battle between equals'

British singer Yusuf Islam demands cease-fire in Gaza in address to Great Palestine Meeting in Istanbul https://t.co/Ej3MU5GKEd pic.twitter.com/nxhgSXSDaS

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) October 29, 2023

“My message today is to plead for an end to the bombing of innocent families, their homes, and especially the little children who make up half the number of the those who have been killed,” said Islam, also known as Cat Stevens.

He thanked Türkiye “for taking right stand” on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is reeling from relentless Israeli airstrikes for three weeks.

“This is not a battle between equals. If we look at the attack on Oct. 7 comparing it to the scale of the vast military response, it is just beyond comparison. In Islam the protection of women and children and non-combatants is fundamental,” he said.

He also urged Israelis to recall the message of Torah and forsake “the path of doom and destruction.”

“Remember the original message God sent to you: ‘You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not seek your neighbor's property.’ These are the laws of Moses taught the world. Why don’t you follow them?” he said.

“I am repeating these facts because I believe the Holy land has been granted to all the family of Abraham, who was not a Jew or a Christian, for the worship of One God,” he said.

He said the Palestinian population adheres to the beliefs of Prophet Abraham, adding that Zionism is a political movement that emerged in the aftermath of a destructive and brutal conflict in Europe, and has “nothing to do it with Palestinians.”

He added that before reading the Quran, he, like many individuals in the Western world, endorsed the idea of "planting trees in the land of Israel."

However, he said, that after embracing Islam, he was able to see "beyond the shadowy veil."