Thousands march in Diyarbakır to protest Gaza genocide
Islamic non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Diyarbakır held a march titled "We March for Gaza Against Zionist Attacks" to express solidarity with Palestinians and condemn ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.
For months, these NGOs have been raising awareness about the dire situation in Gaza, calling it a genocide and urging support for the Palestinian struggle. The march and a subsequent press statement served as a powerful display of their unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Residents of Diyarbakır actively participated in the march, which began on Diclekent Boulevard and proceeded to the 15 July Martyrs Park area for the press statement. The high turnout reflected the strong community support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Ömer Çelik, President of the Martyrs Caravan Platform, delivered a passionate speech at the park. "It has always been the believers who have won the struggle," he began. Highlighting the historical struggle between right and wrong, he asserted that believers have always emerged victorious through unwavering faith and perseverance. "First of all, we should know that our Lord declares in the Holy Qur'an that He will help the believers against the unbelievers and that He is with them. Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of Taghut (tyrannical power)," he declared.
Drawing parallels between the Crusades and the current situation in Gaza, Çelik condemned rulers who betray the Islamic world for personal gain. "We have no doubt about this. Until the crusades started in the 1090s and Saladin Ayyubi liberated Al-Aqsa Mosque, many sultans and rulers cooperated with the crusaders and sold the Islamic world. They betrayed the Islamic world to preserve their reigns and seats. Those sultans who tried to preserve their reigns and protect their palaces later disappeared in disgrace and disgrace. Either by the hands of heroes like Salahaddin al Ayyubi or by the hands of the crusaders who were their servants. In this period of time, we are in, we see the same thing repeating itself," he warned.
Çelik also criticized the rulers of the Islamic world for becoming subservient to Jews and Christians, calling them out for their lack of action and support for the Palestinian resistance. "We are close to 2 billion Muslims, but we are covered with dead soil. Many leaders of the Islamic world have become the servants and servants of Jews and Christians. HAMAS and Izz ad-Din al-Qassam have shown us the true face and character of those who are among us but stab us in the back," he stated. He urged Muslims to continue their struggle without getting disheartened by the challenges they face. "If this little bit of support for HAMAS, Izz al-Din al-Qassam, Gaza, and Al-Aqsa Mosque through our activities, protests, and struggles scares the local Jews and causes them to shout, then we are on the right and the truth. We have to increase our struggle and actions," he concluded.
Muhammad Kayan, Provincial Head of the Anatolian Youth Association, read a press statement on behalf of the Islamic NGOs at the event. He condemned the ongoing genocide in Gaza, accusing Zionist forces of committing heinous acts under the guise of humanitarian aid. "Even the Zionists, who used aid trucks as a means of camouflage, were accompanied by US special forces in these massacres. The day is very close when we will see the definitive defeat of the occupation forces, which could not escape a large number of carcasses despite all their tricks," he declared.
Kayan highlighted the involvement of U.S. special forces in these attacks, emphasizing the global nature of the conflict. "The only request of the people of Gaza, who have been resisting the Zionists for more than nine months, and the people of conscience who filled the squares to support the Palestinian resistance, is to respond to the Zionists in the language they understand," he stressed. He urged Islamic countries to take practical actions rather than merely issuing verbal condemnations. Kayan referenced the late Mr. Erbakan’s stance, emphasizing that it is time to show strength against Israel. "O leaders of Islamic countries, fear Allah, think about your hereafter as much as you think about your seats. Because of you, children are being martyred in Gaza, because of your weakness and cowardice, Gaza is burning! And because of your ineffectiveness, our brothers and sisters in Gaza are being genocided," he admonished.
Addressing the Turkish leadership, he called on President Erdoğan to take decisive measures against Israel. "For the sake of Allah, stop condemning Israel and take actual action. Stop recognizing Israel and take all the necessary steps to send the Islamic Peace Force to Gaza. Today, the country that Gaza is waiting for the most is Turkey. Please do not disappoint our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Stop the talk and aid campaigns. If you really want to help your Muslim brothers and sisters, do it with bullets, missiles, and armies, not with sacrifice campaigns or rallies," he implored.
The NGOs reiterated their unwavering support for the resistance in Gaza, highlighting the broader implications of the struggle. They emphasized that the fight in Gaza is not just for Palestinian freedom but also for the liberation of the entire Islamic world from oppression. "So much so that today, the Palestinian resistance is not only struggling to protect or liberate their own land, but also for the salvation of Baghdad, Damascus, East Turkistan, Diyarbakır, and Istanbul," Kayan noted.
The event underscored the need for unity among Muslims worldwide, with speakers calling for solidarity and collective action to resist Zionist forces and support the Palestinian cause. "As Diyarbakır Islamic non-governmental organizations, we are neither with nor behind the Palestinian resistance movements, especially HAMAS. We are the Palestinian resistance itself. We are in a struggle to mobilize all our means to be in the middle of this struggle with our property and our lives to the end of our capacity," Kayan concluded.
The event ended with a powerful message of unity and determination to support the Palestinian resistance. Participants vowed to increase their efforts and actions to support Gaza, demonstrating their commitment to the cause and their belief in eventual victory through faith and perseverance. (ILKHA)