Qaradawi: Supporting Palestinians an Obligation of All Muslims

The European Union and the United States stopped their financial aids to the Palestinian government of Hamas, as a kind of punishment to the Palestinian people for electing Hamas in the last Palestinian elections that were characterized by neutrality and transparency and that expressed the free choice of the Palestinians to the program of Hamas.

Thus, Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the head of the International Union of the Muslim Scholars, demanded the Muslim nation to support the Palestinian Authority and to offer all the financial aids to the Palestinians.

In a statement issued by the International Union of the Muslim Scholars on Friday April 7, 2006, Dr. Al-Qaradawi asserted that these aids or the financial support are not considered donations; rather, these aids are obligatory for all the Muslim nation, especially the rich. They must support their weak brothers in Palestine who are punished for their choices and resisting the occupation forces, under the umbrella of the international silence and pressure.

On his part, the Islamic thinker Muhammad Selim Al-Awwa, the member of the International Union of the Muslim Scholars, asserted that all the Islamic and Arab authorities, organizations and societies should fulfill their promise concerning supporting the Palestinian Authority. He indicated that these promises reached about 170 million dollars annually; however, only 50 millions were offered to the Palestinian Authority.

Al-Awwa called for those who want to send financial aids to the Palestinians not to send them through the banks; as the Zionist banks will freeze them. He indicated that Islamic Jerusalem Institution and the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), are ready to accept these aids and guarantee delivering them to the Palestinian Authority.