Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi (third from left) of the Islam House of Wisdom, calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Dec. 7 at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, as Imam Najah Ahussaini (left) of the American Islamic Community Center in Madison Heights, Khalid Turaani of the Michigan Task Force for Palestine and Imam Mustapha Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America in Warren, listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom hosted other Imams and Palestinian supporters Dec. 7 to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Joining Elahi were Imam Najah Ahussaini of the American Islamic Community Center in Madison Heights, Khalid Turaani of the Michigan Task Force for Palestine, and Imam Mustapha Elturk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America in Warren.
Elahi called the actions in Gaza “the most horrible and heartbreaking moments in the history of humanity.”
He said that even with conservative estimates, 17,000 civilians have been killed and 50,000 wounded just in Gaza, describing it as a “genocide worse than what occurred in Rwanda.”
“What is going on in Gaza is not a war,” Elahi said. “It is a brutal and bloody invasion, a non-stop blind and barbarian bombardment targeting even the hospitals, killing doctors, nurses and premature babies in destroyed ICUs.”
He said hundreds of United Nations workers and journalists had been killed, thousands of homes destroyed, and even mosques, churches and refugee camps had been hit.
“When the world talks about the pains of Palestinians in Gaza or West Bank, some of our politicians call it the rise of anti-Semitism,” Elahi said. “That’s nonsense. They forget that all true Palestinians being Jews, Christians or Muslims are Semitic, while criminals who share a warmongering mentality are not Semitic.
“We are not anti-Semitic – we are anti-apartheid, anti-racism, anti-ethnic cleansing, anti-genocide and anti-holocaust in Gaza.”
He said the mass murder of Gaza civilians heavily impacts women and children.
“We are here to condemn this injustice, this oppression, and this shocking and shameful mass murder,” Elahi said. “Slaughter by air strikes, by starvation, and denying them their basic human rights such as food, water, medicine and shelter in this freezing weather.”
He challenged the politicians who preach democracy yet ignore atrocities and bloodshed in Gaza.
“I wish they were silent, but they are supporting this holocaust with money, weapons and media,” Elahi said. “Go ahead and talk about Oct. 7, but also talk about almost 75 years of terrorism and Nakba.”
Nakba refers to the violent displacement and dispossession of Palestinians, as well as the destruction of their culture, society and political rights.
He called on President Joe Biden to stand with the oppressed, not the oppressors.
Elahi said Christians and Muslims are urging Biden to “end the genocide in Gaza.”
He also spoke of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, where Christmas celebrations are being canceled while mourning the victims of Gaza and West Bank.
“Cease fire is about saving lives from both parties, a victory for justice and morality,” Elahi said. “We pray for an end to this evil invasion, we pray for peace and we pray for justice.”