The online conference, held in Arabic under the theme “Condemning the War Crime of Starvation and Forced Displacement of the People of Gaza”, brought together scholars and leaders from across the Muslim world.
Opening his remarks with praise for Allah and blessings upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure family), Ayatollah Arafi recited the Qur’anic verse:
“And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children…” (An-Nisa: 75)
He described the current events in Gaza as “one of the most heinous crimes against humanity in contemporary history”. He condemned the Zionist regime for its ongoing occupation of Palestine — an inseparable part of the Islamic Ummah — and for imposing an inhumane siege that starves, displaces, and kills the people of Gaza, with the direct backing of global arrogant powers, particularly the United States.
“These crimes,” he said, “are a blatant violation of human rights, divine principles, religious values, and basic morality. The Holy Qur’an commands us to defend the oppressed, and today Gaza is the clearest example of the oppressed whose basic rights have been stripped away. Responding to their cry for help is not just a moral duty — it is a religious obligation.”
Citing international law, Ayatollah Arafi referred to the Rome Statute, the Genocide Convention, and the Geneva Conventions, affirming that the Zionist regime’s starvation, forced displacement, and deliberate targeting of civilians amount to war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.
He also reminded that the Holy Qur’an warns against those who “spread corruption in the land” (Al-Ma’idah: 33; Al-Baqarah: 205) and quoted Imam Ali (peace be upon him): “Whoever abandons justice for the weak, Allah will punish him severely.”
Ayatollah Arafi asserted that since its inception, the Zionist entity has been a tool of global arrogance — bringing only war, sedition, and destruction to the region. He pointed to its history of crimes against the peoples and governments of the Middle East under the protection of major world powers.
He concluded by recalling the recent failed 12-day incursion into Iranian territory, which ended with a humiliating blow to the Zionist regime. “This,” he declared, “is a sign that the Islamic Ummah is awakening and returning to its era of dignity and honor. The days of this illegitimate regime are numbered, and its oppressive designs will be shattered.”
