“Global Conference on Israeli Apartheid: Dimensions, Repercussions & Means to Combat It” was held in Istanbul

The Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW) and The Global Organization Against Racial Discrimination and Segregation had organized “Global Conference on Israeli Apartheid: Dimensions, Repercussions & Means to Combat It”, held on 29^th and 30^th November 2019 at Marriot Hotel Sisli, Istanbul. More than 300 academicians, thinkers, activists and politicians from various regions of the world had participated in the program and discussed on Israel’s apartheid policies that are implemented in Palestine.

Among the speakers of its opening session are the Secretary General of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW), Atty. Ali Kurt; President of The Global Organization Against Racial Discrimination & Segregation and also a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Mdm. Rima Khalaf; Chief Advisor to the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mr. Adnan Tanriverdi; and the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop Attalah Hanna.

The Secretary General of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW), Atty. Ali Kurt said that, “As the members of the same religion, that believes in the same God, the same prophet, and the same book, there are days when we should not be complaining about the negative situations around us, but we are obliged to redefine our efforts and dynamically revive our values. We, the organizers of this conference will maximize our collective efforts to raise awareness; to improve existing research and documentation; to induce initiatives on grassroots level, civil societies and government officials to put an end to the apartheid regime, that is Israel. In March 2017, ESCWA had published a report on “Israeli Practices Towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid” and it is our honor to have both of UN Special Rapporteurs that prepared the report and among the worlds’ leading experts on Palestine, Prof. Dr. Virginia Tilley and Prof. Dr. Richard Falk, to be the speakers of our event.

While emphasizing that they will always be the supporters of Palestinian cause, Atty. Ali Kurt said; “Jerusalem & Masjid Al-Aqsa are entrusted to us by Umar al-Khattab, Salahuddin Al-Ayubi, & Sultan Abdulhamid II. We are working vigorously until Palestine is free, until Jerusalem become an independent state & until every Palestinian safely return to their homeland.”

He added that, “We hoped that our meeting will be a step further on our collective efforts for the Palestinian cause and the entire Islamic world. In this opportunity, we would also like to thank the President of Global Organization Against Racial Discrimination and Segregation, Mdm. Rima Khalaf and her team, also to the President of FIDDER and our brother, Mr. Muhammed Misenis and his team. I would also like to extend our thanks to our respected participants, every institutions and organizations that gathered here for this event of solidarity.”