Millions of Muslims from across the world took part in demonstrations in their cities to mark International Quds Day and demonstrate that Palestinians are not alone in the face of Israeli occupiers.
A ceremony was held to mark the day in Dahiyeh, the Lebanese capital of Beirut, with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as its main speaker.
Nasrallah: Unity in Quds Day doubles enemy’s fear
“Quds Day carries a message of support for the Palestinian nation … unity in Quds Day doubles the enemy’s fear and worry,” Nasrallah said.
He warned the Israeli enemy that any folly against Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Quds, West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, or Syria may lead to an all-out war in the whole region.
Nasrallah also said that Israel does not dare to attack Iran. He warned the US and the Israeli regime, saying that Muslim sanctuaries and Palestinian nations are our red lines.
Rallies turn deadly in Nigeria
According to reports, the pro-Palestinian rallies turned deadly in Abuja after the police opened fire on demonstrators, killing one and injuring several others.
One of the injured was shot in the chest and two others were shot in the legs. The injured have been rushed to the hospital.
Videos from Abuja show police firing tear gas at the march and protestors scrambling for cover.
Islamic Jihad leader: Palestinians will not stop fighting
Thousands of people gathered in Palestine Street, in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, to voice support for Palestine as they had a special speaker, Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement Ziyad al-Nakhalah.
Addressing the event, al-Nakhalah said the daily incidents that can be witnessed at al-Aqsa Mosque are enough for all to “see the truth”.
Pointing to the readiness of Palestinian fighters in the West Bank, he said, “We will defend our religion and history in al-Quds.”
Those who think that Palestinians may stop fighting are suffering from delusion, he said, adding, “We will continue the confrontation even if it takes 1,000 years to liberate Palestine.”
‘Quds Day determines and shows our path’
Secretary General of Iraqi resistance group Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba Akram al-Kaabi also addressed the same event, describing Quds Day as one of the principles that “determines and shows our path.”
Slamming some regional countries’ normalization of relations with Israel, he reiterated that Iraq’s position on supporting Palestine and confronting the occupiers will remain “unchangeable”.
“Americans and Zionists should know that we are not afraid of their threats. Our goals are sacred and we will not withdraw or compromise them,” he said.
In a statement on the occasion of the special day, the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement said the Muslim world is responsible for confronting Israeli occupation.
“All the Muslim world is responsible for liberating al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque because this is the heart of confrontation with enemies that have occupied our land and killed and displaced our people,” it said.
Yemenis ready to confront Israel
Hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people participated in Quds Day rallies in the capital Sana’a on Friday despite the rainy weather.
According to the Yemeni outlet Al-Masirah, demonstrators carried flags of Palestine and Yemen, chanting slogans against the Israeli regime while setting Israeli flags on fire.
“The Palestinian cause is a pivotal issue of the Muslim Ummah and is the frontline of religious and human priorities; Palestine is a correct goal that our people move toward and the enemy will not be able to deviate from our path,” reads a statement issued at the end of today’s demonstrations.
Muslims in other countries such as Bahrain, Syria, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, and Tanzania also held demonstrations and events to mark the day.