Normalization with Israel ‘Religiously Forbidden’: International Union of Muslim Scholars

The organization of Islamic theologians affirmed that the measures taken by some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, regarding striking up alliances with the occupying Zionist regime are religiously forbidden, condemned, and regarded as a betrayal of the rights of Palestinian people, the union’s Secretary-General Ali al-Qaradaghi said in a statement.

The IUMS reiterated its permanent support for Palestine, the Israeli-occupied city of al-Quds, and the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque compound, condemning any normalization with the regime in Tel Aviv.

The union said it had “previously issued several statements in condemnation of normalization with the occupiers of Palestine, al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian lands, and organized several conferences and seminars to emphasize the religious ban on normalization of relations with Israel.”

It called on all concerned parties to make concerted efforts to liberate all Israeli-occupied lands, especially the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the city of al-Quds.

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed normalization agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani during an official ceremony hosted by ex-US president Donald Trump at the White House on September 15 last year.

Morocco and Sudan later signed the so-called Abraham Accords as well.

Palestinians seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip with East al-Quds as its capital. They have repeatedly condemned the normalization deals with Israel as a stab in the back of the Palestinian nation.

Hezbollah: Occupying Zionist regime is surely on verge of collapse

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement said the downfall of Israel was just a matter of time and the regime would fail to obtain legitimacy with the presence of the resistance front.

“Remember that Hezbollah is with you and is confident of final victory,” Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem addressed Palestinian resistance fighters during a ceremony in Lebanon.

He added, “Hezbollah will continue to arm, train and mobilize forces in order to get ready for any war that the Zionist regime might wage.”

Hezbollah, he added, will not allow the Israeli enemy to go unpunished for any future attack.

“Criticisms leveled at Hezbollah are due to the fact that the group sides with the Palestinian cause and liberation of all Israeli-occupied territories. The critical remarks represent the policies of the United States and the failing parties that have normalized ties with Israel, and are therefore of no significance to us,” the senior Hezbollah official pointed out.

Sheikh Qassem added that support for the Palestinian resistance was a duty of all freedom-loving people worldwide, and its outcome would have an effect on the entire Middle East region.

 “Our support for the Palestinian resistance means that we are defending our country and its independence. Resistance is the only solution to win back occupied territories and release prisoners, especially amid international conspiracies in favor of Israel,” he said.

He said all so-called initiatives for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were in fact meant to liquidate to the Palestinian cause.

“Armed resistance is the only solution to liberate occupied Palestinian lands and holy sites,” Sheikh Qassem said.

“The decision by some [Persian] Gulf states to normalize ties with Israel represents their weakest and most humiliating position. They think they have safeguarded their kingdoms by means of normalization, but they have committed a big sin. They have betrayed the Palestinian cause, and abdicated their responsibilities for the matter,” the top Hezbollah official noted.