Islamabad: Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, has stated that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians and we do not recognize Israel. He emphasized that we do not accept the two-state solution and recognize only Palestine as a state.
Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman expressed these views while addressing the second session of the International Palestine Conference organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan on Saturday. He warned that if Pakistan's rulers even dream of recognizing Israel, the nation will make them an example of disgrace. He reiterated that we reject the two-state solution for the Palestine issue.
Although this is a conference on Palestine, he also demanded the government announce a clear and solid policy regarding Kashmir. He stated that this conference is moving in the right direction and will have positive effects. He welcomed the guests who had come from around the world. He emphasized that the issue of Palestine is not like other issues; the public's stance on Palestine is clear - this land belongs to the Palestinians, and Israel's occupation is illegitimate.
He further stated that Palestinians are making sacrifices, while European Jews were settled in Palestine, which is a great injustice. These Jews were not only settled there but were also recognized, and the Palestinians have responded to this injustice, he added.
Emir Jamaat-e-Islami stated that Hamas's actions are troubling only a few people. He emphasized that even before Hamas's October 7 attack, Palestinians were facing severe hardships-they were forcibly evicted from their homes, subjected to genocide, and thousands were imprisoned. He pointed out that after the recent ceasefire, some prisoners have been released after 20 years, and Gaza has turned into an open-air prison where even humanitarian aid cannot reach. He asserted that anyone with faith and honor would resist such oppression.
He further stated that Hamas is engaged in armed struggle in accordance with international laws. Palestinians are being killed with weapons, yet the U.S. labels Hamas as a terrorist organization. He noted that Hamas won the elections, but the U.S. does not support democracy when it results in Hamas's victory.
Democracy is effectively buried when the U.S. uses its veto power in global matters, he said and added the very existence of the U.S. came about after the massacre of indigenous people. The U.S. dropped bombs on Japan, attacked Vietnam-how can it call Hamas a terrorist organization? The U.S. itself is the biggest terrorist, he added.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Hamas must be supported because Israel is committing terrorism, and Hamas is resisting and responding to it. He reiterated that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians, and Israel is not recognized. He rejected the two-state solution, stating that they recognize only Palestine as a state.
Emir Jamaat-e-Islami further stated that Hamas is the only force fighting against Israel, while the rest of the Arab world is merely watching. He added that if the events of October 7 had not occurred, some Arab countries would have already recognized Israel, and others were on the verge of doing so.
In Pakistan, discussions are also beginning about how wars are not beneficial, he said, adding even if the Tufan Al-Aqsa operation had not happened, Palestinians were still being martyred. He said Hamas has defeated Israel, adding Israel has bombed children and martyred them using sniper guns.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman stated that in the past, global powers controlled mainstream media, but social media has now rendered their efforts ineffective, adding Al Jazeera has played a crucial role in this. He further mentioned that 20% of people in the U.S. are supporting Hamas, adding people are supporting Hamas because of its resistance. The remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Gaza should be condemned, as they could lead to a new wave of genocide.
He highlighted that countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Malaysia, and others are being pressured to recognize Israel. He also stressed the need for Gaza's reconstruction and asserted that the costs of war should be paid by the U.S. and Israel, adding the media must play its role in raising the voice of the Palestinians-it is a national responsibility. 'Palestine and Kashmir are matters of life and death for us. We will never compromise on the Kashmir issue,' he remarked
Jamaat-e-Islami's Secretary-General, Ameerul Azeem, stated that many children were martyred in the war on Gaza, and dozens of journalists also lost their lives, adding this session is a show of solidarity with all those who sacrificed their lives while reporting.
Senior journalist and anchor Hamid Mir pointed out that it is important to see how many people from mainstream media were invited and how many actually attended. A journalist cannot be neutral; they must see and report the truth, saying a journalist is either with the truth or with falsehood. The global media is controlled by a few powerful forces. In Gaza, Israel is committing genocide, and its supporters stand with it, but Middle Eastern countries are also acting as its facilitators, he commented.
He revealed that Egypt denied him a visa-not only him but also other international journalists who wanted to cover the situation in Gaza. Egypt only granted visas to journalists who had clearance from Israel, he deplored.
He said Pakistan's policy on Palestine aligns with the vision given by Allama Iqbal, which opposes colonial policies, adding Allama Iqbal had warned against accepting the stance of Arab rulers on Palestine. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's proposal for a two-state solution is a colonial-era policy and goes against the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he warned.
Al Jazeera journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh also attended the session of the conference. His family was martyred in Gaza. Wael Al-Dahdouh stated that children in Gaza were deliberately martyred. He emphasized that Israel intentionally targeted journalists in Gaza because it wanted to hide its genocide. Any journalist who attempted to cover the situation in Gaza was killed. South African journalist Faisal Daji stated that Western media promoted the Zionist agenda regarding Gaza.
Anchor Dr. Fiza stated that the Muslim Ummah has been disappointing regarding Gaza. Women and children were martyred, and hospitals were bombed in Gaza, yet Muslim countries did nothing beyond issuing condemnatory statements.
International journalists stated that history is recording what happened in Gaza, while the media is hiding the facts. They warned that if the media fails to provide accurate information, democracy will be destroyed.