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Sheikh Abdullah Makwinja Correspondent

Imam Khomeini was a visionary leader who embodied the true Islamic principles of standing up for justice and struggle against oppression.

“It is necessary that all freedom-loving peoples of the world unite with the Muslims and together condemn the inhuman aggressions of Israel”, reasoned Imam Khomeini.

International Quds Day is an annual event held on the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramadan initiated by the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Imam Khomeini in 1979, as a means to express solidarity with the Palestinians.

It is also a chance to show world freedom lovers’ hatred towards atrocities of the Zionist regime of Israel against the innocent Palestinian people who have been living under constant threat and atrocities since 1948.

Imam Khomeini was a visionary leader who embodied the true Islamic principles of standing up for justice and struggle against oppression. He liberated Iran from the tyrannical foreign occupation, and also sought to help liberate Palestine from the tyrannical oppression of the Zionists.

Al-Quds Day reminds us that his work is unfinished. The efforts on the part of all those who endeavour for the cause of justice and resistance to oppression has not yet been accomplished, nor has the liberation of Palestine. Every year, on the last Friday of Ramadan, al-Quds Day reminds us to rededicate ourselves to these noble objectives.

Quds Day has underlined the Palestine issue beyond its national aspect and has granted it international status. The Zionist regime has long campaigned to degrade the issue as a national conflict between Israel and Arabs.

Nevertheless, a clear stance by Imam as a prominent religious and academic personality injected a fresh spirit to forgotten Islamic perspectives in the struggle against Israel. Imam’s guidance produced positive results, and accordingly Palestinian fighters heeded the Islamic option, instead of nationalistic or Western inclinations.

Prior to 1948 Palestine was a land in which Jews, Christians and Muslims lived peacefully until 1948 when Ben Gurion declared the creation of Israel. Palestine was then flooded with Jews from Europe and USA and other countries. These immigrants kicked out Palestinians from their farms and out of Palestine.

Now the people of Palestine are imprisoned in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. However, even that is not enough for the Zionists and they keep on expanding everyday into Palestinian lands and creating settlements.

Severe and apartheid policies and wanton killing of Palestinians have become a daily exercise in the occupied Palestine.

In order to deflect the attention of the world away from the atrocities committed against the Palestinians, the Zionist Israeli regime, in collaboration with its allies, created sectarian wars in the Middle East, protecting the illegitimate Zionist state of Israel and making the world forget its everyday crimes.

Their intention is to keep the Muslim nations fighting their fellow brethren, which is part of the logic of “divide and conquer” or “constructive chaos” strategy.

Like they did in Iraq during the chaos, the US, Israel and their allies are using money and sectarianism. The insurgency in Syria is being financed by the US and members of its anti-Syrian coalition in the region. It says something of significance when Israeli officials say that they do not see an Al-Qaeda takeover of Syria as a threat to Tel Aviv.

Amos Gilad, an Israeli military official, has openly stated that Al-Qaeda is no concern for Israel and “although its elements are gaining a foothold in Syria amidst the chaos of the country’s civil war, the Syria-Iran-Hezbollah axis which preceded it is far more threatening” for Israel.

This reminds us of the Pfumo reVanhu (counter-revolutionary forces) created by the Smith’s regime to counter the efforts of the genuine freedom fighters. History of the independence struggle for Zimbabwe could be a great source of guidance, inspiration for the oppressed Palestine.

Yes, it is possible to defeat and send out Zionist regime out of Palestine, even though they might be armed to the teeth and supported by the so-called superpowers of the world.

Israel is weak. Hezbollah has proved that Zionists can be defeated. In 2000, the day when the resistance liberated south Lebanon from Israeli occupation, Hizbollah leader Sayyid Hasan Nasrullah said: “I tell you, Israel which owns nuclear weapons and the strongest fleet in the region, is feebler than a spider’s web.”’ Viva Palestine! Aluta continua!