LETTERS: Muslim countries should stop uttering condemnations, taking to the streets to protest and boycotting products to express their anger against Israeli aggression towards the Palestinians.
It has been more than seven decades of Israeli oppression against the Palestinians. Now is the time for Muslim countries to take drastic steps to help Palestinians in the Gaza Strip or West Bank achieve freedom from occupation.
This is particularly urgent as the Israeli killing machine clearly said that they will be going all out to attack the Gaza Strip because of the latest Hamas surprise assault.
FIRST, demand that the few Muslim countries that have diplomatic ties with Israel freeze or cut their relations with Israel, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. If they fail to do that, all Muslim countries should freeze and cut their diplomatic ties with them;
SECOND, all Muslim countries must work closely to draft a plan to send immediate assistance to Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, including military supplies.
Muslim countries have professional armies and modern military equipment. All these military assets can be used to defend the Palestinians; and,
THIRD, all Muslim countries should insist on the United Nations (UN) condemning all the barbaric actions by Israel towards the Palestinians. They should insist on the UN sending immediate humanitarian and military assistance to protect the Palestinians.
If the UN fails to fulfil any of these demands, all Muslim countries should withdraw their membership in the UN. Without Muslim countries, the UN will become crippled and weak because the number of Muslim countries is huge, and many of these Muslim countries have vast natural resource reserves.
Though the suggestions are drastic, Muslim countries have no other option. We cannot allow Palestinians to continue living under occupation.
DR MUZAFFAR SYAH MALLOW
Associate Professor, Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times