An international symposium was held Sunday, October 22, hosted from Idlib with international guests taking part via internet video conferencing to discuss the relationship between the struggles of the Syrian people of Idlib and those in Gaza, titled “Idlib and Gaza: One Wound.” The event, which gathered notables from the liberated areas and abroad was broadcast live via the internet.
The participants included religious and academic scholars; Al-Sheikh Abdul Rahim Atoun, Al-Sheikh Sami al-Saadi, Al-Sheikh Dr. Mazhar al-Wais, Al-Sheikh Dr. Hassan al-Kattani, Dr. Muthana Harith al-Dhari, Dr. Muhammad al-Saghir, Dr. Abdul Hamid Al-Khalid, Dr. Ahmed Zaidan, Mr. Ubaida Arnout, and Mr. Muhammad al-Bashir.
During the round table discussion, the guests spoke on the issues uniting the two regions and the shared suffering and challenges the Palestinian and Syrian people have endured.
In the course of the evening, the prominent religious scholar with Haya Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Sheikh Atoun stressed the importance of Islamic brotherhood between Syrians and Palestinians and mentioned the internal and external enemies faced by Syria, with the Assad regime representing the internal enemy, Iran representing the regional enemy, and Russia representing an international and external enemy. Dr. al-Khalid highlighted the history of foreign occupations, not only in Syria but also in the region of Sham (Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon) throughout history.
One of the international guest speakers, Libyan Sheikh al-Saadi pointed out that it is the collective responsibility of the people to confront the enemy and contextualize the need for more solidarity in our present situation in light of the historical significance of Muslims of the past first achieving unity on the road to success for the Ummah (Muslim community).
Sheikh al-Wais, another member of HTS’ religious scholarship, saluted the steadfastness of the people of Gaza while acknowledging their achievements in the Palestinian cause. He referred to the Zionist entity as a malignant growth within the Ummah and criticized the false accusations made against Gaza’s resistance fighters.
On the topic of the prevalence of false narratives, especially in the media, Turkey-based journalist and political analyst Dr. Zaidan criticized biased misinformation in favor of the Zionists in global media outlets and called for a revival of the culture of resistance and pride in the Ummah. He also mentioned that in juxtaposition of the mainstream outlets around 70% of social media reflected a positive view towards Gaza and the Palestinian struggle. Zaidan also expressed his gratitude to the people of Idlib for their solidarity with the oppressed, particularly the Palestinians.
Iraqi guest, Dr. al-Dhari cautioned against localization of issues, which says fractures, the global Muslim community making it vulnerable. He focused on the importance of the unity of Islamic fronts and the need to uphold the causes of the Ummah. He called for active recognition of the interconnectedness between the Palestinian issue and other Islamic struggles.
Dr. al-Saghir, currently in Turkey, praised the Operation Aqsa Deluge, which revived the spirit of jihad and martyrdom within the Ummah. He expressed the belief that the liberated region in Sham has the potential to continue the path until the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. While Morocco’s Dr. al-Kattani commented on the operation rekindling the concepts of victory and initiative for the Ummah. He expressed hope for the possibility of liberating the Israeli-occupied lands after the operation.
Arnout extended greetings of honor and pride to the people of Gaza, acknowledging the suffering of both the Syrian and Palestinian people under oppressive occupations. He drew parallels between the practices of the Assad regime and the Zionist occupation in their repression, abuse, and violation of the dignity and rights of the Syrian and Palestinian people. Al-Bashir emphasized the shared pain and resilience of the people of Idlib and Gaza condemning the indiscriminate bombing by the occupiers and expressed unwavering determination to remain steadfast and resistant.
The event gathered participants from around the world who highlighted the interconnectedness of the struggles faced by the people of Idlib and Gaza and expressed the importance of unity, resistance, and the revival of Islamic values in confronting internal and external enemies on the path to victory and liberation.
