By Irfan Ashraf
The Muslim world has always been in hot water when it comes to the protection of identity, speaking for the justice of Muslim brotherhood and protection of their land. The situation escalates even further when the Muslim world has to choose if they have to side the innocent Muslim brothers or to keep their interests in liaison with the world powers. The world that has been divided into two halves will either be angered by the decision taken by president of America or will stand behind him supporting his move of relocation of the US Embassy to Al Quds.
Forsaken voices rising from the streets of Palestine have never been enough to reach the world powers; they have never been enough to shake up the Muslim Ummah on the brutalities they have been facing. The need of a stronger voice rose even higher after Trump’s controversial announcement. The intensity of the uproar was not something unexpected rather Trump himself knew that the process will be hard and will take three to four years for moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Al Quds.
No matter what the world was about to say, as Trump said, ‘he had to do it’. Starting from the U.S allies, criticism emerged from Italy, Germany, France, Britain and others. From United Nations General Secretary to Pope Francis, no one could ‘remain silent’ on the act that was a surety of disrupting the world peace. The holy city that holds equal spiritual significance to Muslims, Jews and Christians is to be made even more controversial by Trump’s move which was not even a legal one.
Pope said that he can’t remain silent, UN General Secretary António Guterres termed it as ‘the great anxiety’, France anticipated anti American protests, Jordan’s King equated it to watering the peacekeeping efforts of U.S., Saudi Arabia called it ‘unjustified’. And then we had the words of Turkish President Erdogan who called this move as the ‘red line’ and stressed that this move will force Turkey to cut diplomatic ties with Israel again. Yes, there was a need of something intense, something that can echo the roars of unitized Muslims to the world powers and that can quiver the leaders who believed that such acts will only invite the protests that will be easy to take. Later on, Turkey announced to actually give a demo of Muslim power show; it wasn’t merely by chanting slogans on the streets rather it united the Muslim leaders on the forum of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The forum has very well conveyed the world that Muslim unity cannot be undermined anymore.
The united Muslim leaders of the world in Turkey have very well addressed the insecurity of Israel. The concept of one-state democracy will lead Israel in darkness because Arabs are definitely going to outnumber the Jews. The only solution and the rightful consequence to the conflict is considering East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestine State. Turkey gave a loud and clear message to the United States. It used no adjectives as that of unjust act, mitigation of world peace or great anxiety rather it simply held this decision as null and void. Turkey vividly and strongly held that this decision from those who keep on chanting about the world peace has shaken the basis of humanity. This move, no doubt, has disregarded hundreds and thousands of innocents who have become the morsel of the ongoing gory unrest.
Turkey enthused the entire world to not only join the cause but to also come up with the actual actions that convey the U.S. President that he can, in no way, ignore the Muslims. OIC hosted by Turkey conveyed a message to Trump, who has been chanting ‘do more’ to Pakistan and who repeatedly insulted a ban on Muslim emigrants, that he is the one who actually needs to do more. But as the OIC suggested he needs not to do more when it comes to America’s role as a mediator between Israel and Palestine. Erdogan clearly said on behalf of 1.7 world Muslims that the move of Trump has no value to them. Through this forum the Turkish leader not only pushed America to revoke this ‘wrong decision’ but it also asked America to cease any other mediating roles.
Istanbul witnessed the great OIC to speak for the justice of innocent Muslims. The 57-member bloc in its final communiqué has called the world to recognize East Jerusalem as occupied capital of Palestinian state. It has declared it so and called the world to do the same. It was an attack on Al Aqsa mosque in 1969 that resulted in the formation of OIC and today once again Turkey has gathered the world leaders for the protection of the holy land of Muslims. The wave that has been outspread by Turkey via OIC should reach the entire world otherwise the efforts of these Muslim leaders will become totally obsolete. The world leaders and the Muslim Ummah need to follow the same strong stance and this process needs not to be halted.