CAIR Lawsuit Against The City Of New York, Alleging Police Brutality During October 2023 Anti-Israel Protest In Brooklyn, Joined By Nerdeen Kiswani, Leader Of 'Within Out Lifetime', Which Led NYC Protests In Support Of Palestinian Terror, Valorizing Hamas 'Martyrs', Where Speakers Called To Abolish Police, Israel, And U.S. Government, Chanting 'Death To America!'
On January 16, 2025, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New York chapter held a press conference introducing a lawsuit against the City of New York alleging police brutality during an October 2023 anti-Israel protest in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Nerdeen Kiswani of the anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, [1] one of the organizers of the protest, said in the press conference that New York City Mayor Eric Adams is trying to chill the protesters' right to free speech. The video was uploaded to the CAIR-NY Instagram account on February 1, 2025.
Kiswani's organization, Within Our Lifetime, has staged numerous protests prior to, and since October 7, 2023, where speakers, including Kiswani herself, espouse anti-U.S. rhetoric and antisemitic conspiracy theories, as well as openly praise Iran-backed Designated Terrorist Organizations like Hamas and Hizbullah, brandishing their emblems and images of their "martyred" leaders.
At a January 6, 2025 protest in front of NYU's Tisch Hospital, organized by Kiswani's Within Our Lifetime, the evening prayer was led by a man wearing the headband of Hamas's military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades. At another event organized by the group in Time Square on July 31, 2024, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, supporters waved the flags of Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas, and Hizbullah.
Nerdeen Kiswani herself appeared on Iran's Press TV, where she said that fighting and resistance and beautiful, should be celebrated by people in the West, and are the only way to liberate Palestine. She praised West Bank terror groups Lion's Den and Jenin Brigade, saying their actions are not just self-defense, but constitute active resistance.
She has also made numerous anti-U.S. statements. In a May 18, 2024 Rally in Brooklyn, Kiswani called the NYPD an "occupying army", saying: "when we say NYPD, KKK, IDF – they're all the same, we mean it." She led the crowd in a chant: "No more pigs in our community!" A July 31, 2021 rally where Kiswani served as M.C., a speaker pointed out options for "striking back" against Israel by focusing on "Palestine-related targets" within NYC. In a June 23, 2017 Times Square protest, Kiswani led the crowd in the chant "U.S. imperialist, number one terrorist!"; another speaker at the protest was Joe Catron of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, which has since been Designated in the U.S. and Canada for being an international fundraiser for terror organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). [2]
Below is the clip of Kiswani speaking at the CAIR press conference, followed by clips of Kiswani and her organization from the MEMRI TV archive, going back to 2017.
Click here or below to view the clip on MEMRI TV:
Nerdeen Kiswani: "Hello everybody. My name is Nerdeen Kiswani. I'm the founder and chair of Within Our Lifetime, and we are one of the organizers of this protest, among many other Palestine protests occurring in Bay Ridge and all over the city over the last 10 years.
[...]
"We've been holding rallies in Bay Ridge and for Palestinian liberation for nearly a decade. But the Palestinian community, Palestinian family members who are reeling from watching their family members, their loved ones, being killed day in and day out and terrorizing Palestine have a right to come out and say enough is enough, that we will not be complicit in our government's aiding and abetting of war crimes in our nation.
"We should be allowed to be able to protest, to use our First Amendment right to freedom of speech to say that we want an end. And it's clear that the Eric Adams administration, which has close ties with the Israeli government and the Israeli military, wants to chill these rights by brutalizing these protesters.
"I would like to thank CAIR-NY, I would like to thank this law office, and all of the brave people who are bringing suit to say that they will stand up for their rights to be able to speak out for a free Palestine. Thank you."
'Sick From Genocide' Protest Outside NYU Tisch Hospital: 'We Don't Want No Zionists Here!'; Prayer Leader Wears Headband Of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades
During a January 6, 2025 "Sick from Genocide" protest, which started out outside the NYU Tisch Hospital and continued with a march throughout Manhattan, protesters chanted: "We will free Palestine within our lifetime!" and "We don't want no Zionists here!" A protester waved the Al-Assad regime's Syrian flag and another protester lead the evening prayer while sporting the headband of Hamas's military wing Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades.
The protest was organized by Nerdeen Kiswani's Within Our Lifetime. During the protest she announced a fundraiser for Gaza, claiming that in the past, the group had raised 75,000$ for healthcare in Gaza. Abdullah Akl, an employee of Muslim American Society (MAS) Staten Island Center led chants at the protest and was seen praying alongside the man with the Al-Qassam Brigades headband. Video of the evening prayer was posted on the Instagram pages of MAS Youth Center and Youth Halaqah, which hosted an event with Khalid Laif, NYU chaplain and imam of the NYU Islamic Center.
To view the clip, click here or below:
Participants In 'Flood NYC For Gaza' Rally Wave Flags Of U.S. Designated Terrorist Organizations, Yahya Sinwar; Nerdeen Kiswani Of Within Our Lifetime: A Ceasefire Is Not Enough; If You Stand With Palestinians, You Stand With Palestinian Resistance
Participants in the September 2, 2024 "Flood New York City for Gaza" rally expressed support for a number of U.S. designated terror organizations. Participants waved a Hamas flag, a Palestinian flag issued by Samidoun , which was emblazed with the images of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziyad Nakhaleh, and PFLP leader Ahmad Sa'adat, as well as a combined flag of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, the PFLP, and Fatah's Al-Aqsa's Martyrs Brigades. One of the rally-goers had a button on his backpack of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida.
Nerdeen Kiswani, chair of Within Our Lifetime, said that Israel's time is coming, that a ceasefire is not enough, and that Palestinians will liberate Palestine by any means necessary. She added: "If you stand with Palestinians, you stand with Palestinian resistance."
Abdullah Akl, the political director at MAS Staten Island Center prayed for Allah to grant the people of Gaza victory over "the infidels." One of the worshippers performed sujud kneeling on the combined flag of four U.S. designated terrorist organizations. Video of the prayer was posted on the Instagram account of the Muslim American Society New York area, MAS Youth Center.
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Protesters In Times Square Rally Following Assassination Of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hizbullah Military Leader Fuad Shukr, Wave Hamas, Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, Hizbullah Flags, Chant: The Martyr Is Beloved By Allah! Israel Is The Enemy Of Allah!
On July 31, 2024, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and top Hizbullah military leader Fuad Shukr, Within Our Lifetime held a rally in New York City. Protesters, waved flags of Hamas, Hizbullah, Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, and held up photos of Haniyeh and Shukr. Some protesters made an inverted triangle gesture towards NYPD officers. According to the ADL, the inverted triangle hand gesture is "used to represent Hamas itself and glorify its use of violence in many popular anti-Zionist memes and political cartoons." Nerdeen Kiswani, the leader of Within Our Lifetime accused Israel of raping children. A protester with his face covered by a keffiyeh held up a framed photo of Haniyeh, pointed at it and chanted: "The martyr is beloved by Allah! Israel is the Enemy of Allah!" Abdullah Akl, a student at Harvard University and the advocacy director of MAS Staten Island Center, also led chants at the protest. Footage of the rally was streamed live on Status Coup News on YouTube.
To view the clip, click here or below:
Crowd At Brooklyn Nakba Day Rally Cheers When 'Within Our Lifetime' Leader Nerdeen Kiswani Says President Biden Will Die Soon; She Added: NYPD Is an Occupying Army; No More Pigs In Our Community! No More Zionists In Palestine!
In a May 18, 2024 New York City Nakba Day rally held in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Within Our Lifetime leader Nerdeen Kiswani said that President Biden is the oldest president in American history and he will die soon. In response to this statement the crowd cheered loudly. She said that the NYPD is an "occupying army," which shares its tactics with Israel and stated: "when we say NYPD, KKK, IDF – they're all the same, we mean it." She led the crowd in a chant: "No more pigs in our community! No more Israel in Palestine! No more Zionists in Palestine!" Abdullah Akl, another leading member of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in a chant: "There is only solution, Intifada, revolution!" Abdullah Akl is also the advocacy director at MAS Staten Island Center and a graduate student at Harvard University. Video of the rally was uploaded to the YouTube account of Javier Soriano NY.
To view the clip, click here or below:
Protestors, Activists At Nakba Day Rally In Brooklyn: Palestine Will Be Free By Any Means Necessary! All Of Israel Is Stolen Land – Stand Up And Fight Back!
On May 13, 2023, a Nakba Day rally was held in the Bay Ridge neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. At the rally, protesters chanted in support and praise of violent Palestinian resistance and "martyrs." They chanted slogans such as "Ongoing Nakba – ongoing muqawama [resistance]!", "Liberation is our demand, all of Israel is stolen land!", "Palestine will be free by any means necessary!", "Globalize the intifada!", and "When Palestine is under attack, what do you do? Stand up, fight back!" Nerdeen Kiswani, an activist belonging to an organization called Within Our Lifetime, spoke and said that Israel is not an "actual state", but rather "a time period we are going through." She also referred to the Holyland Five, five U.S. citizens affiliated with the Holyland Foundation who are imprisoned for having funneled millions of dollars to Hamas, as "political prisoners".
Footage of the rally was uploaded to the JavierSorianoNY YouTube channel. The event was advertised on social media by Within Our Lifetime as a "family friendly" event. The event was also sponsored by other organizations, including Samidoun, Existence Is Resistance, the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Muslim American Society (MAS), the An-Nour Social Center, the Muslim Community Center, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and others.
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Speakers At NYC Al-Quds Day Rally: Commit Yourself To Abolishing Israel, Its Existence Is A Threat To World Peace; Fight For Palestine's Liberation By Any Means Necessary, Be Part Of The Intifada Wherever You Are
At an International Al-Quds Day rally held in New York City on April 15, 2023, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime said that a Jewish state has no right to exist because as long as Israel exists, it is a "threat to world peace." She said that in order to commit oneself to Palestinian liberation, one must "commit" to "abolishing Israel." Kiswani urged her audience to "fight for Palestine… until all of our land is liberated from the River to the Sea." The rally's MC praised the "martyrdom" of Ibrahim Al-Nabulsi and said that "his martyrdom left a legacy that made the Palestinian West Bank resistance stronger than when he was alive."
Later in the rally, the MC led the demonstrators in the chant: "Free, free the Golan Heights! The West Bank has risen!" In addition, Husam Kaid of Awda NY led the demonstrators in chants demanding to "dismantle the Zionist occupation," and he called on them to "be a part of the Intifada where you may be." An activist named Salma from the ANSWER Coalition stated that the Palestinian "freedom fighters" have the right to "fight for their land by any means necessary." Footage of the rally was posted on the YouTube channel of Christopher Leon Johnson.
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Rally For Palestinian 'Right To Resist And Mobilize' At UN Headquarters In New York: We Stand In Solidarity With Jenin, Nablus, And Huwarra! There Is Only One Solution – Intifada, Revolution!
On March 17, 2023, American activists from several pro-Palestine organizations including Within Our Lifetime, Samidoun, and American Muslims for Palestine staged a rally for the Palestinians' "right to resist and mobilize" in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Nerdeen Kiswani from Within Our Lifetime said that the United Nations had "split" Palestine by creating Israel and that the demonstrators have come to "stand in solidarity with Jenin, Nablus, Huwwara, and all of Palestine [and] to defend the Palestinian right to resist." Kiswani added: "We will continue to fight for a free Palestine." The rally's attendees also chanted "From the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea, Palestine will be free!", "We will free Palestine", "Zionism will fall!", and "There is only solution – Intifada, revolution!" Footage from the rally was posted to the Instagram account of Within Our Lifetime and the YouTube account of Christopher Leon Johnson.
To view the clip, click here or below:
Palestinian-American Activist Nerdeen Kiswani On Iranian TV: Fighting, Resistance Are Beautiful, Should Be Celebrated; That's The Only Way To Liberate Palestine; Lion's Den, Jenin Brigade Are Involved In Active Resistance, Not Just Self-Defense
Palestinian-American activist Nerdeen Kiswani of the Within Our Lifetime organization said in a November 5, 2022 show on Press TV (Iran) hosted by former British MP Chris Williamson that resistance is the only "political process" that has been effective for the Palestinian people. She said that active resistance by groups considered by Israel and the U.S. to be terrorist groups is the only way to fully "liberate" Palestine, and she praised the recently-formed "Lion's Den" and "Jenin Brigade" terror groups for taking matters into their own hands.
Later in the show, Kiswani said that the Palestinians should not describe their struggle solely in terms of human rights because they are "fighters" rather than "passive victims." She added that this is "something beautiful" that should be celebrated by people in the West.
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NYC Pro-Gaza Rally Speakers: Mayor Eric Adams Supports The Murder Of Palestinian Children; The Gates Of Al-Aqsa Mosque Can Only Be Opened By Martyrs
On August 8, 2022, Within Our Lifetime, along with other pro-Palestinian organizations held a rally titled "NYC Stands with Gaza," following the recent round of fighting between the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Israel. In the rally, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime said: "If you stand with Israel, you stand with death and destruction." She added that "resistance is not terrorism" and said that Palestinians have the right to "defend themselves by every means possible." She also accused New York City mayor Eric Adams of supporting the murder of Palestinians and Palestinian children.
Protesters chanted: "We don't want no two states – we want all of It." "Settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone!" "We don't want no Zionists here!" and "The gate of Al-Aqsa is made of iron... It can be opened only by martyrs!" Footage of the rally was uploaded to Existence Is Resistance Instagram account and Freedom News TV – Night Edition on YouTube.
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NYC Pro-Palestinian Rally: Zionist Professors Should Be Banned From Colleges, Zionist Students Should Not Be In The Same Spaces As Palestinians; Zionism Is A Genocidal Threat To Us
On March 30, 2022, several pro-Palestinian organizations held a Land Day march in New York City. In video footage posted on DataInput on Twitter, protesters chanted "We don't want no two states, we want all of it," and "No justice, no peace." Fatima Mohammed of the CUNY Law Students for Justice in Palestine said that the same forces who are bombing people in Yemen and incarcerating black people in America are killing Palestinians. She urged the crowd to demand that "Zionist" professors be banned from college campuses and that "Zionist" students not be allowed in the same "spaces" as Palestinians.
Mohammed also explained that this is because Zionism is a "genocidal threat to us." In addition, she said that the Ukraine crisis has taught Americans the meaning of occupation and genocide and the meaning of defending one's land "by any means necessary." However, Mohammed added, "we are the ones who can't defend our lands," and she said that in "this Islamophobic and genocidal country" people cannot rely on the media or government to find their will to fight. Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in chants of "From the River to the Sea Palestine, will be free."
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Brooklyn Memorial Rally In Honor Of Palestinian "Martyrs": "If We Don't Get No Justice, They Don't Get No Peace"; "NYC Is Full Of Palestine-Related Targets, The Options To Strike Back Are Endless"; "New York To Gaza, Globalize The Intifada"
In a memorial march and rally in honor of Palestinian "martyrs," protesters chanted: "If we don't get no justice, then they don't get no peace." Video of the march that took place on July 31, 2021 was posted on the YouTube channel of Karla Ann on August 2, 2021. Protesters also chanted: "With our blood and our spirit, we will redeem you, oh Palestine!"
In a video of the rally that followed the march, which was posted on August 2, 2021 on the YouTube channel of JavierSorianoNY, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime, who was the M.C. of the event, led the crowd in chanting in Arabic: "The Gate of Al-Aqsa is made of steel, it can be opened only by martyrs [...] either we liberate [the Al-Aqsa Mosque] or we die." She also led the crowd in English chants such as: "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" and "New York to Gaza, globalize the Intifada!"
Nancy Mansour of Existence Is Resistance led the crowd with the chant: "I am with the resistance." She said that anyone who said that Palestinians should not be calling for resistance and violence should "stand the f*ck up."
Marz Saffore of Decolonize This Place said that the World Jewish Congress is working on changing the definition of antisemitism so that "resisting the settler state of Israel and fighting for Palestine" would be criminalized. She said that there are many "Palestine related targets" in New York, like the World Jewish Congress and the options to "strike back" are endless.
Mike of the International League of Peoples' Struggles led the crowd in chants calling for the defeat of "U.S. imperialist war" and to "smash the settler Zionist state."
In May 2021, the Twitter account of Decolonize This Place tweeted: "Wondering what to do in solidarity in the meantime? Find Zionist targets nearby, find where those Zionist fools live and where their offices are, and act!"
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At NYC Rally In Front Of Israeli Consulate, "From The River To The Sea Palestine Will Be Free" Explained As Including Haifa, Jaffa, Tel Aviv
In a New York rally held in front of the Israeli consulate, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in chants: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." Kiswani explained that the meaning of this chant is that not only the West Bank and Gaza will be free, but also Haifa, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv, which she claimed was established on the grounds of Tal Al-Rabi'. Kiswani said that the rally is purposefully held near such news outlets as Pix11 News, FoxNews, and CNN, who lie about the Palestinians and hide Israeli actions. She said that they have been doing this since the establishment of the "settler colonialist Zionist entity." Kiswani added that the reason the rally is held in New York City is because it is the "belly of the beast", and it is "peppered with Zionist institutions." She led the demonstrators in a chant stating: "We don't want no Zionists here." Videos of the rally, which was held on June 15, 2021, were posted on the New York Street and JavierSorianoNY YouTube channels.
To view the clip, click here or below:
At Brooklyn 'No To Annexation' Rally, Speakers Call To Abolish Police, Israel, And U.S. Government, Crowd Chants: 'Death To America!', 'Millions Of Martyrs Are Marching To Jerusalem!'; Activist: 'F*ck The NYPD!' When A Precinct Or A Cop Car Burns, I Feel Closer To Palestine
Within Our Lifetime, a NY-based pro-Palestinian organization, organized a "Day of Rage" rally against Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The event, which was called "No to Annexation," was held in Brooklyn on July 1, 2020, and the video of the event was uploaded to the organizers' Facebook page. During the rally, an activist named Jamie from the pro-North Korea Nodutdol organization told the protestors that Palestine will be liberated, that Korea will be unified, and that the U.S. and its puppet governments will be "no more." Another speaker, Amin Hosain of Decolonize This Place, an anti-gentrification movement, said that the police are the enemy and an impediment to the liberation of Palestine, and he said that when NYPD cop cars burn, a "revolutionary country" is being awakened.
Dequi Kioni Sadiki, wife of former Black Panther Seko Odinga, said that the European Jews who force Palestinians into refugee camps, concentration camps, and killing fields are related to the Europeans who forced Africans into slavery and prison death camps. She added that Palestine must be free like the stolen land of North America, which she referred to as "Turtle Island."
A representative of the Puerto Rican New York Borica Resistance movement said that the police, Israel, and the U.S. government must be abolished. Nerdeen Kiswani from Within Our Lifetime said that Palestinians do not only want to return to Gaza and the West Bank, but that they want all of Palestine. Wrapped in a red flag, a man named Rob from the Party for Socialism and Liberation led the crowd in chant in Arabic: "Death to Israel! Death to America!" In addition, the crowd chanted: "Millions of martyrs are marching to Jerusalem!... The gates of Al-Aqsa are made of iron – its gates will only be opened by a martyr... From Gaza to Minnesota, globalize the Intifada!... Black lives matter!... Not just annexation, not just occupation, fight for liberation – bring the whole thing down!"
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Gaza Solidarity Rally in Times Square: We Will Start an Intifada in Every Classroom, Every College Campus; We Will Shut Down Every Zionist Event; Israel Has No Right to Exist; Palestinian Resistance Is Not Terrorism
On November 15, 2019, a pro-Gaza rally was held at Times Square in New York, NY. Nerdeen Kiswani of an organization called Within Our Lifetime led a chant that went: "There is only one solution: Intifada, revolution!" Husam Kaid of the City College, NY branch of Students for Justice in Palestine called for an Intifada in every classroom and in every college campus. He said: "We are going to shut down all the Zionist events [and] start an Intifada everywhere!" Sayel Kayed, a prominent NJ-based pro-BDS activist belonging to American Muslims for Palestine, said that Palestine has a God-given right to resistance and self-defense, that Palestinian resistance is not terrorism, and that Israel has no right to exist. For more from Sayel Kayed, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6483 .
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Antisemitic Chants, Calls for New Intifada at a Times Square Demonstration Protesting Trump's Jerusalem Declaration
In a demonstration held on December 8, 2017 in Times Square, New York, to protest Trump's declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic Country in Patterson, NJ, called to start a new Intifada. Qatanani, who was arrested in Israel as a Hamas activist in the 1990s, sparked chants of "With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, oh Aqsa!" Nerdeen Kiswani of the NYC Students for Justice in Palestine said that every inch of Palestine – including Tel Aviv and Jaffa – is Palestinian land. Demonstrators chanted: "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return."
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NYC Quds Day Rally: Hitler-Like Zionists Help ISIS and Killed JFK; Al-Baghdadi Is Israeli; U.S. #1 Terrorist
At a rally held in Times Square, N.Y. on June 23, 2017 to mark International Quds Day, activists chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans. One activist shouted that "the Zionist state has been helping ISIS since its creation" and that ISIS stood for "Israeli Secret Intelligence Service." He further said that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was a Mossad agent and that the Zionists had assassinated John F. Kennedy because he opposed Israel's obtaining nuclear weapons.
Nerdeen Kiswani of the NYC Students for Justice in Palestine led chants of "We don't want two states, we want '48!" and "U.S. imperialist, number one terrorist!" and Joe Catron of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network shouted: "Intifada, revolution!" and "Israel, go to Hell!" American-Filipino activist Mike Legaspi, of the "Bayan USA" alliance of Filipino organizations, accused the U.S. of "bombing the crap out of the Middle East" and demanded that "U.S. imperialism stop funding Israel." Quds Day is an annual Iranian-led event, declared by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 and held on the last Friday of the month of Ramadhan.
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[1] Nytimes.com/2024/10/05/us/within-our-lifetime-pro-palestinian-activism.html, October 5, 2024.
[2] Home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2646, October 15, 2024.
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In these circumstances, the purpose of the establishment of Pakistan should be understood."[7] The state of Pakistan was established as a homeland for Muslims; Maulana Fazlur Rehman's message was that the nuclear-armed Pakistan must support Palestinians practically. One of the leading speakers at the conference was Grand Mufti of Pakistan Taqi Usmani. The religious scholar questioned Muslim governments for not using their armies for jihad, saying: "Peaceful protests are allowed, throwing stones and harming someone's life and property is forbidden. Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israeli bombing continues. The Zionists do not have any faith, any religion, any international agreement or promise. What is the use of the armies of Muslim countries if they do not wage jihad?"[8] "The requirement was that instead of gathering here [in Islamabad], we would have gathered in Gaza. A ceasefire agreement was reached in Palestine; despite the ceasefire agreement, the bombing continues. Israel has no moral values nor the value of international laws. [U.S. President Donald] Trump has now started considering the entire world his property. Despite seeing death, the Palestinians have not backed down from their position," Mufti Usmani said.[9] Mufti Taqi Usmani (left) and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman address the National Conference on Palestine on April 10, 2025. The Grand Mufti accused Israel of implementing a plan for Greater Israel, saying: "Today, preparations are being made to implement the Greater Israel plan. According to the United Nations, no one has human rights except those with fair skin. The [Hamas] brave-hearts in Gaza have created a new history. Will jihad not be obligatory even after seeing more than 55,000 Muslims being slaughtered?"[10] Mufti Taqi Usmani added: "The founder of Pakistan [M.A. Jinnah] had called [Israel] an illegitimate child. Our position will not change under any circumstances, no matter how much power Israel gets. When we do not have any pact with Israel, there is no excuse [for Jihad]. Muslim countries should know that when it has broken agreements, then by what agreement are you bound?"[11] The Islamic religious scholar also said: "The U.S. Secretary of State has said that no matter how many Muslims Israel kills, we will not stop supporting it. After Israel, America has also broken its agreements. We do not say to launch a nuclear attack on anyone. Governments have a thousand ways; they should realize that jihad is our duty."[12] Earlier, on February 5, to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day, several events were held in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir by militant groups and the Pakistani military and government. These events were also attended and addressed by jihadi commanders and Hamas leaders. One of the biggest events was held in the town of Rawalakot in Pakistani Kashmir. Hamas spokespersons Dr. Khalid Qaddoumi and Dr. Naji Zaheer, along with Hamas leaders Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat, participated in the event, according to an Indian media report.[13] The event was also attended by Talha Saif, brother of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) emir Maulana Masood Azhar, JeM commander Asghar Khan Kashmiri, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Masood Ilyas, and other top LeT commanders. Jihadi leaders address a rally in Rawalakot, Pakistani Kashmir, on February 5, 2025. "The entire event was an effort to build a narrative to equate the Gaza Strip with Jammu and Kashmir," Indian media outlet News 18 reported.[14] "The conference had been organised to spin a common tale of Pakistan and Palestine as well-knit united fronts against Israel and India," the report said.[15] In a video of the Rawalakot event available on the internet, several militant leaders can be seen delivering speeches.[16] One militant leader, speaking Urdu, warns India: "I want to tell [Indian Home Minister] Amit Shah that the mujahideen of Kashmir and Palestine have become united…"[17] Not far from Rawalakot, on the same day in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended another conference to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day. Speaking on the occasion, General Asim Munir warned India, saying: "Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or in the near future, you may commit atrocities in occupied Kashmir, but this will not go on forever. The decision of Kashmir must be made by the people of Kashmir, not by any occupying force in Kashmir. Three wars have been fought for Kashmir, and if ten more need to be fought, we will fight, Allah willing."[18] He made these remarks at the at the martyrs' memorial in Muzaffarabad. In his speech to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed support for Kashmiris, saying: "Pakistan will continue to offer its unwavering moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmiri people till the realization of their right to self-determination."[19] Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir (third from left) attends an event in Muzaffarabad on February 5, 2025, held as part of the Kashmir Solidarity Day commemorations On April 13, just three days later, another public rally on the theme of "Solidarity with Gaza" was organized by JeIP on Shahrah-e-Faisal Road in Karachi. Addressing the protestors, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said: "Israel is committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, while Pakistan's political leadership and the international community remain silent. PML-N, PPP, and PTI must also raise their voices for Gaza and condemn the U.S. and Israel."[20] PML-N refers to Pakistan Muslim League (N) Party of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while PPP stands for Pakistan's People Party led by Bilawal Bhutto, son of President Asif Zardari, and PTI for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman further said: "[Israel] has shredded the United Nations charter. Even today, Israel cannot face Hamas. The brutality in Gaza has exposed the true face of Western leaders. Even in the U.S., 50 percent of people support Palestine. Every child around the world is expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza. All political parties should condemn Israel."[21] The JeI leader reminded the protestors that Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was asked to recognize Israel, but he replied: "Our foundation is not for sale" – referring to the religious foundation of the newly created Islamic state of Pakistan.[22] JeI, which is the largest religious organization in Pakistan, also held a nationwide shutter-down strike, in which shops and other businesses close to halt commercial activity as a form of protest, on April 27 to signal popular consensus and pressure the government into adopting a firmer anti-Israel stance.[23] Business centers remained closed in most cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Quetta. Lawyers in various cities also observed a complete strike and boycotted court proceedings. Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, addressed a press conference at the Jamaat headquarters Mansoorah in Lahore, where he declared the nationwide shutter-down strike as successful, stating that the success of the strike was a proof that the entire Pakistani nation stands against Israel and India.[24] The strike was held just five days after the April 22 jihadi terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in which more than two dozen Hindu males were shot dead.[25] JeI emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman raises slogans during the Gaza Million March on April 20, held to express solidarity with Palestinians As part of the April 27 nationwide strike, local JeI leaders in the city of Hyderabad, Pakistan's Sindh province, held a Press Conference in front of the Hyderabad Press Club. On this occasion, Hafiz Tahir Majeed, the Emir of JeI for Hyderabad district, and other JeI leader Aqeel Ahmad Khan, Abdu Quayyum Sheikh, Muhammad Hanif Sheikh, Abdul Basit Khan, and Hafiz Sufiyan Nasir were present. According to a report in the Urdu daily Roznama Jasarat, Hafiz Tahir Majeed said: "Today's strike was a referendum that has told the entire world that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Palestine. I salute the citizens of Hyderabad, whose hearts beat with the Muslims of Gaza."[26] "America, Israel, and India play the role of security guards – they have destroyed the peace and order of the entire world," he said, adding: "With America's support, Israel is planning to destroy Gaza. The fate of America, Israel, and India is bringing them toward Pakistan."[27] Hafiz Tahir Majeed slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for terminating the Indus Water Treaty. "If India shows an eye to Pakistan, we have the capability to gouge out both its eyes. We will wipe India from the map. Tomorrow we have to take back Delhi, which belonged to Muslims. Insha'Allah, very soon Pakistan's flag will unfurl over Delhi."[28] The JeI leader said: "The world will see that India, Israel, and America will not find two metres of land on earth. After Pharaoh, they are the people who will be most ashamed in the world."[29] Hafiz Tahir Majeed also accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, adding: "On the issue of Gaza, the entire Pakistani nation stands in unison… If Islamic countries do not make joint efforts regarding a ceasefire, the situation will not be in anybody's control."[30] JeI leaders in Hyderabad city talk to the media on April 27 In Lahore, on April 13, Pakistan's leading religious scholar Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, addressed a Press Conference where he called for the boycott of Israeli products. "We must boycott Israeli products. We want a free Palestinian state. The elders of the entire Muslim world should be gathered in Mecca [to formulate a joint response on Israel]," he said and also expressed support for an independent Kashmir.[31] Calling for "practical steps" for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said: "The army, government, and people of Pakistan stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Palestine. Palestine and Gaza are ours – they were and will remain so… Our hearts are with the people of Palestine. May Allah grant freedom to the people of Palestine and Kashmir."[32] He added: "Palestine belongs to the people of Palestine, and no conspiracy to expel the people of Gaza from their land can be accepted. The government and various organizations are sending aid for the people of Palestine. We have remained peaceful in our protest demonstrations. At this time, there is a need to unite the Muslim Ummah, and we appeal to all Muslims to pray."[33] One of the largest anti-Israel protests was organized by JUI-F on May 15 in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan. Addressing the protestors, JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman said: "The alliance between India and Israel is part of history. The Modi government, acting as an Israeli representative, carried out attacks in Pakistan but we took revenge for Gaza by giving a befitting reply."[34] It should be noted that in response to the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir, India launched strikes at nine terror centres in Pakistan on May 7, leading to a four-day war with Pakistan.[35] "Israel has been Pakistan's enemy from Day One," Maulana Fazlur Rehman said, adding: "The rulers of Israel were busy in a rabbit's dream but we opposed Israel from Day One and will continue to do so in future, while Jews and Hindus are one…"[36] He added: "Pakistan should be cautious of the India-Israel axis. If Muslim rulers gather courage, then Israel's power can be eliminated."[37] * Mantasha Ansari is a Research Assistant at MEMRI's South Asia Studies Project.
Memri
2 days ago
- Memri
Editor Of Qatari Government Daily: Hamas Must Not Disarm – It Will Defeat Israel With The Strength Of Its Weapons Like The Taliban Defeated Both The U.S. And The West
According to numerous recent reports in Arab media, a demand to disarm has been presented to Hamas, as part of the contacts for a ceasefire in Gaza, and this demand was rejected by Hamas officials.[1] Joining Hamas in its position are journalists in Qatar, who call the weapons of the Palestinian resistance an "existential necessity" that "are not to be bargained over"; they also refer to them as "honor" and that "relinquishing them is humiliation" and as a means that "caused heavy losses to the occupation." Particularly noticeable among these journalists was the position of Jabar Al-Harmi, editor of the Al-Sharq government daily, who called on Hamas not to give up its weapons and not to disavow its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, because "what was taken by force will be restored only by force." He called on Hamas to act like the Taliban in Afghanistan, which despite its sacrifices never gave up its weapons and, "armed from head to toe," forced the U.S. to sit at the negotiating table with it to discuss "not what it [the U.S.] would achieve and what it would gain, but how it would escape [from Afghanistan]." Hamas's holding on to its weapons, he said, would stop Israel from recovering from October 7; he added that in any case, Israel's disappearance was nearer than people think. It should be noted that Al-Harmi also holds antisemitic views and has called for the destruction of Israel. In his articles in the newspaper, and on his X account, he regularly expresses support for Hamas and its October 7, 2023 attack, in which 1,200 were killed and 251 were taken to Gaza as hostages.[2] This mirrors Qatar's absolute support for Hamas.[3] Cartoon in Qatari daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi: Resistance fighter stands fast against attempts to take "the weapons of the resistance" from him. (Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, April 25, 2025) This report will present the positions of writers in Qatar on the subject of the "weapons of the resistance," particularly the position of Al-Sharq editor Jabar Al-Harmi: Al-Sharq Editor Al-Harmi On X, May 24, 2025: Like The Taliban, Hamas Must Not Give Up Its Weapons – And Must Not Disavow Its October 7 Attack Al-Sharq editor Jabar Al-Harmi called on Hamas not to give up its weapons and not to disavow its October 7, 2023 attack. He likened Hamas's situation to that of the Afghan Taliban, who never relinquished their weapons and even, he said, forced the U.S. to negotiate with them by force of their weapons, in addition to "defeating Russia and then the U.S. and the West all together" who today seek "the love of the Afghans – love that comes by force of arms." In a May 24, 2025 post on X, Al-Harmi wrote: "Had the Afghans agreed to solutions of submission during the invasion of their country by two of the strongest countries – the U.S.S.R. in 1979 and the U.S. in 2002 [sic[4]] – and had they said 'We have no strength against these two countries, we are a poor country, and if we are in a position of inferiority, we have no weapons and the world is set against us,' they would not today have a state that is respected by all those who invaded them previously. "The Afghans opposed [the invaders] with their force and might, defeating Russia and then the U.S. and the West all together. Although the invaders used the most criminal weapons, including weapons banned by international conventions, the Afghans did not surrender, despite all the victims. This is what ultimately forced the invaders to sit at the negotiating table with them, by force of arms – not to negotiate over what it [the U.S.] would achieve and what it would gain, but how it would escape [from Afghanistan]. "This did not happen by virtue of the Afghans' consent to disarm – it was by virtue of their strong opposition to the invaders and their defense by means of everything they had, and by means of the weapons of the enemies that they had seized. This is the path to liberation. What was taken by force will be restored only by force, and anything else is an attempt to anesthetize and distract the occupied peoples. Today, Russia and the U.S. seek the love of the Afghans – a love that comes by force of arms. "Consent to disarm the resistance in Gaza and to disavow the October 7 [attack] means that the enemy [Israel] will revive, [and will continue to exist] for the next 100 years. Even if the Palestinian people is wounded, and if the Gazans are dead, do not think that the enemy is relaxed – on the contrary, its fear is greater, and it is now focusing on its entity's future. Will this entity, which is [weaker than] a spiderweb,[5] survive, or will it disappear and not see out its eighth decade? Its disappearance is nearer than you think. 'If you should be suffering – so are they suffering as you are suffering' – but the difference [between the two comes at the end of the verse]: 'You have hope of reward, help, and support from Allah, which they cannot hope for.'[6]"[7] Post by Jaber Al-Harmi ( May 24, 2025) Al-Harmi On X, April 14, 2025: The "Weapons Of The Resistance" In Gaza Are Not For Sale And Are Nonnegotiable In a previous X post, on April 14, 2025, Al-Harmi rejected the demand that Hamas disarm, using the same parallel to the Taliban's refusal to negotiate over disarming. He wrote: "The resistance in Gaza, whether Hamas or another [resistance movement], will not fall into the trap of disarmament, no matter what guarantees [it receives]... "[In the case of the] Taliban in Afghanistan, the U.S. tried to set this [disarmament] as the main condition for negotiations, [but the] Taliban would not negotiate at all about this, and the U.S. was forced to go back to the negotiating table with the Taliban while the latter was armed from head to toe. They told the U.S.: 'It was only the weapons that brought you to sit at the negotiating table with us. Therefore, the resistance must not negotiate over its weapons in any way.' The weapons of the resistance in Gaza are not for sale and are nonnegotiable."[8] Article In Al-Sharq, April 23, 2025: The Weapons Of The Resistance Are An Existential Necessity And An Influential Means Of Action Opposition to disarming Hamas was also seen in many articles in the Qatari government press. For example, Palestinian writer Hadir Rashad explained in his column in Al-Sharq, under the headline "The Weapons Of The Resistance Are Not For Bargaining," that "it is not easy to raise the issue of disarming the resistance without this proposal crashing into the obvious wall of reality, according to which weapons in the hands of peoples under occupation are not a choice but an existential necessity... The weapons of the resistance in Gaza will never be a mere symbol or slogan – they are an influential means of action that caused the occupation heavy losses in lives and in [its] economy... "The call to disarm the resistance in Palestine before the occupation departs is a call for surrender, not peace; for permanent consent to the aggression and not for stopping it; for apparent calm whose hidden meaning is seizing the trump card from the hands of the people that has only force of will and arms."[9] Article In Al-Watan, May 16, 2025: Weapons Are Honor, Relinquishing Them Is Humiliation In his May 16, 2025 column in the Qatari government daily Al-Watan, Palestinian writer Samir Al-Barghouti presented the results of a Palestinian poll that showed widespread Palestinian support for Hamas amid the decline in the prestige of the Palestinian Authority and of Fatah. He stated that "82% of the Palestinian [respondents] said that they oppose handing over the weapons of the resistance." He summarized the survey, stating: "Since the first and second intifadas, and the [Al-Aqsa] Flood [the October 7 attack], Palestinians have believed that they have no other choice but resistance, and that weapons are honor, and relinquishing them is humiliation."[10]
