DICID holds interfaith, humanitarian solidarity rally against war in Gaza

The Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) organised kast night a rally with the theme 'Together against the war in Gaza' at the amphitheatre in Katara – the Cultural Village.DICID chairman Prof Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi led the event. Speakers at the rally included Elizabeth Marascalchi, Riva Group chief executive and "Andare Oltre” humanitarian foundation co-founder, Fr. Charbel Mhanna, Christian Churches – Patriarchal Envoy of the Maronites in Qatar Organising Committee chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Mohamed al-Naama, Imam Muhammad AbdulWahhab Mosque (Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs) preacher, Archbishop Makarios Mavrogiannakis, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, director of the Family Reconciliation Office – Family Court, Fr. Beda Robles, Head of Anglican Church – Christian Churches Steering Committee, Sheikh Abdul Salam Bassiouni, Abdullah bin Zaid al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre, and Maysa Wael Abu Hilal, member of the General Secretariat of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad.The Katara amphitheatre was thronged by hundreds of Qatar citizens and residents of all faiths, who participated in the rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and against the war on the Gaza Strip.Representatives of many Qatar institutions, Arab and foreign embassies accredited in Doha, and a large number of imams and clerics, both Muslims and Christians, were present at the rally called for by the DICID.The call for the rally came from the DICID in an effort to take a clear religious and humanitarian stance against the war on Gaza, an expression of clear condemnation of what the Israeli occupation forces is committing, the shameful humanitarian crimes, bombing of hospitals, demolishing of homes, intimidating and killing of children, and the bold committing of war crimes and genocide, as well as the massacres of unarmed civilians.All the speakers called for an immediate ceasefire, and the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.The participants raised Palestinian flags and banners supporting the Palestinians, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the resistance in Palestine, and demanded an end to the war, holding the Israeli occupation forces accountable for the crimes being committing against the Palestinian people, and to stop the targeting and bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip.They also raised many placards.Some read "You don’t have to be a Muslim to support Gaza – All you need is to be a human being”.Others read "No to the forced displacement of the population of Gaza” and "The Palestinian Kofia is the symbol of resistance”.A small boy held up a sign that read "Where are the international human rights organisations?”Those present wore both the Palestinian flag and Kofia.DICID chairman Dr al-Naimi said in the concluding statement that what is happening is "a brutal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, lacking the lowest meanings of religious and human values”."We must have a clear stance against this war and against the practices of the Israeli aggression,” he stated. "Against its brutal war machine that targets civilians, children and defenceless women, and its boldness to bomb homes and target hospitals, mosques and churches that shelter innocent people.”"These despicable practices have reached the point of not allowing the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid, and attempting the forced displacement of the population of Gaza, and committing all kinds of war crimes and genocide,” Dr al-Naimi said.