In a final communiqué, the participants in the Second Al-Aqsa Call Conference in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala hailed the Palestinian nation’s “great steadfastness and sacrifice in the face of Zionist tyranny,” calling for the dissemination of the voice of the victims of Israeli crimes.  They also highlighted the role of clerics, media and NGOs in expounding the Palestinian cause.

The conference was held under the banner of “Palestine and Imam Hussein: The global dimensions of the missionary personality and the humanitarian cause.”   

Religious scholars as well as political and cultural figures from 65 countries took part in the event.  They said the Tel Aviv regime is behind the recent cases of the desecration of holy books such as the Qur’an.  They also dismissed any normalization with Israel and called for global action against the forging of ties with the occupying entity.

In an address to the conference, Sheikh Abdullah Katamto, the coordinator of the Scholarly Forum for Palestine, emphasized that Palestine stands on the frontline of defense for the people of the world.  He expressed gratitude to “the entire Iraqi people, who have demonstrated unity in their pursuit of truth.”

South African MP Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, the grandson of South Africa’s legendary anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, said Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, should be a role model in the global struggle for a just world order and freedom. 

Imam Hussein (AS) and his 72 companions were martyred in the Battle of Karbala in southern Iraq in 680 AD while resisting the much larger army of the despot Umayyad ruler of the time, Yazid.

Temporary Friday Prayer Imam of the Iranian city of Ahvaz, Sheikh Mohsen Heidari, said that “the free people of the world are drawn to Imam Hussein and his timeless historical teachings of justice and resistance against tyranny.”

“The Islamic Resistance movements in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Palestine stood against the mythical state of ISIS (Daesh),” he said, adding that “mass gatherings, such as the Arba’een pilgrimage, strike fear into the hearts of oppressors.”

Arba’een marks the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), which brings together millions of people from across the world who undertake an 80-km walk between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.