Azhar condemns Israeli violence against Palestinians

CAIRO – 7 April 2018: Al-Azhar condemned in strongest words the use of violence by Israeli security forces on Friday against unarmed Palestinian civilians during a peaceful march to celebrate the anniversary of Land Day.

Given the bloody events of the Land Day protests, Azhar renewed his support to the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for their right to self-determination, including an independent and sovereign state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital based on the 1967 borders.

Azhar said it was astounded by the international community’s silence on the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people. The failure of the international community and its institutions to condemn the massacre committed by the Israeli forces on Friday against the peaceful demonstrators offered “a cover” for Israel to continue its crimes.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 52 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli forces during the Land Day protests and over 1,000 others injured.

Thousands of Palestinians launched demonstrations, titled the “Great March of Return” in the besieged Gaza Strip to protest against Israel’s refusal to enable refugees to exercise the right of return to their pre-1948 lands.

Many Palestinians were displaced during 1948 and ended up fleeing to Gaza. Displaced Palestinians and their descendants, living in the Gaza Strip, are recognized as refugees by the United Nations.