All faiths unite for Palestine, demand India to cut ties with Israel

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

In a symbolic moment, people from different faiths and religions came together to call out the brutal bombing of Palestine by the present Israeli regime at Freedom Park on Tuesday. Leaders and Followers of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sufi-ism and Sikhism were present in the protest. This also coincides with the International Day of Human Rights, which marks 76 years of the formation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights soon after the Jewish genocide of the Nazi regime. However, religious followers and civil societies stated that the present bombardment and resultant deaths of around 40,000 civilians, including 17,000 children according to Aljazeera’s Live tracker, has made them contemplate the purpose of it, as present leaders, especially of the West don't regard it anymore.

They demanded that India cut ties with Israel and embargo the arms deal with Israel, in the midst of the Parliament’s winter session currently taking place. Titled ‘Bridging faiths for Palestine’ The purpose of bringing in people with religious backgrounds was to debunk the bombardment as a religious war. Rather, it is people from multiple faiths being suppressed by the Israeli regime. Marcy Newman, a practising Jew, expressed her disdain in how Zionism has “hijacked” Judaism. “There's nothing in Judaism that suggests occupation of land, or becoming settler colonists,” she added. An American citizen, Newman is a tax resister and expressed the likes of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. “The billions of dollars put in by genocidaires with the tax money we pay, is why I didn’t vote for both of them. It is their war and their legacy,” she stated.

Guru Basawa, of the Bhalki Mutt, who believes in the Basava tradition and rejects the Vedas, put light on how love and peace are the only way to solve problems like these. “This is the birthplace of Buddha, Basava and Ambedkar. Although we follow different faiths, we are all under a single thread. “This should be looked at from a perspective of humanism, rather than a religious war,” he added. Reverend Vinayraj, a Dalit pastor from the Marottamma church, and other protestant leaders emphasized that the cause of Palestinian liberation is an integral part of eir ith. Moulana Qaim Abbas, a Shia scholar, spoke how this attack is on humanity itself.