On Al-Quds with Ghannoushi- "Muslims and Arabs should fight normalization with the Zionists in every manner..."

 Friday 16 November 2007, 01:52 PM

Of the main guests at the Al-Quds International Forum was Sheikh Rashid Ghannoushi, who now resides in the UK and is considered one of its main Islamic activists. Ghannoushi returned to Tunisia after finishing his degree at the Sorbonne in France during the early 1960’s. Back in Tunisia, he began his active life among high school students, from which the Nahda Movement was created. He was of the main founders of the National Islamic Conference, which brought together Arab Nationalist and Islamic thought. He was also a founder of the Circle for Authenticity and Development, which focused on creating a dialogue among Muslims and Christians through bringing together a large number of Islamic and Western intellectuals.

This is our interview with him-

Q: What is your evaluation for the situation in Al-Quds?

A: What has been happening in Palestine does can not make anyone happy other than the enemies of Islam and Palestine. We hope that those devoted to this cause put an end to the internal struggles in Palestine, which have greatly harmed the Palestinian cause. We do not make equivalent all those who are sides to the struggle in Palestine, but there is always a responsibility for those who feel more devoted to the cause to take initiative in solving it.

Q: What is the significance of this forum and do you think it will lead to any changes in the situation in Al-Quds?

A: This forum is for the media and for calling the attention of the people around the world to realize what is happening in Al-Quds. This forum could be a commencement to creating an institute that would carry out the recommendations which we have come out with from the conference.

Q: What do you think were the most important recommendations are, or what do you advise should be done with regards to this issue?

A: The most important recommendation which I advise everyone to abide by, is to fight normalization on all levels. Muslims and Arabs should fight normalization with the Zionists in every manner and they should press for the adoption of a strategy by which to liberate Al-Aqsa. If the governments of the nations in the region do not work on this, they should themselves be changed.

Q: What do you see this forum creating with respect to Al-Quds? Do you see it bringing any changes?

A: I would be ambitious that this forum creates an institute to plan for and strategize a means by which to carry out the recommendations of the conference, in order to protect Al Quds and the Arab/Palestinian existence there. This forum must also ensure the presence of Arabs and Muslims in Al-Quds on all levels: human, material, intellectual etc. by pressing on Israel and on international organizations to stand in the path of destroying Al-Quds. The conference must put forth he question of what is the answer to the destruction of Al-Aqsa. The forum should result in making the Arabs and Muslims ask themselves what would happen to the Islamic Ummah if Al-Aqsa was to be destroyed and replaced by the Zionist Temple? They must ask themselves how to guard against that taking place, and if it were to happen, what would we do?

Q: In your opinion, what is awaited for the Palestinian cause at Annapolis?

A: We should not depend on these conferences to solve the Palestinian problem. Such conferences will not bring any good for Palestine or for Al-Quds. Instead, we only expect that they bring on more concessions without any compensation in return.