Kerala: Muslim League Leaders Label Israel As World's 'Biggest Terrorist Nation' In Pro-Palestine Gathering

Thousands of people gathered at Kozhikode beach on Thursday (26 October) for the largest pro-Palestine rally in India organised by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) since the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

The event was marked by chants of 'Solidarity with Palestine' and 'Down with Zionism,' with banners written in Arabic displaying messages such as 'Indians with Palestine' and 'End the Genocide in Gaza', as reported by The Times of India.

The rally saw a diverse crowd, including hundreds of women, forming a sea of people along the beach.

Inaugurating the event, IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal described Israel as the world's "biggest terrorist nation" and criticised the Indian government for what he perceived as attempts to whitewash Israel's actions.

Thangal noted that past Indian Prime Ministers, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh and even A B Vajpayee, had taken a stand against Israeli occupation, contrasting it with the current government's stance.

Chief guest and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in his keynote address, referred to the recent conflict, mentioning the attack on Israel by what he called "terrorists" and Israel's subsequent response.

Tharoor stated that Israel's retaliation had resulted in significant casualties, which he deemed disproportionate and in violation of human rights conventions.

He emphasized that the world had condemned attacks on innocent children and women, including those in Palestine.

However, Tharoor's remarks led to a response from IUML leader M K Muneer, who indirectly challenged Tharoor's terminology.

Muneer compared the struggle for Palestinian independence to the historical efforts of Indian freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose, arguing that these struggles were similarly labeled as terrorism by imperial forces.

Muneer stressed the importance of distinguishing between resistance and attack, asserting that Israel's actions constituted ethnic genocide.

Tharoor suggested that the event might be one of the most significant political rallies in India and the world, advocating for human rights and peace.

While the IUML aimed to showcase its strength and the influence of the Thangal family within the Muslim community, notably, they did not invite other Muslim organizations, but Samastha's Nazer Faizi Koodathayi attended the event.