Hafiz Naeem warns rulers against recognising Israel at JI’s Gaza Million March in Karachi

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman Sunday warned that his party would withdraw support for the government if it even considered recognising Israel.

He was addressing a massive crowd during the Gaza Million March held on Shahra-e-Faisal in Karachi, where thousands of men, women, and children gathered to express solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Hafiz Naeem urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to openly back Hamas, warning that failure to do so would have political consequences. “If the rulers even think of recognizing Israel, we will stop supporting them. Shehbaz Sharif should support Hamas — otherwise, they won’t even find a way to escape,” he said to the cheering crowd.

He lauded the people of Karachi for their strong turnout, saying the Palestinians had shown extraordinary courage by resisting Israeli aggression for two years. “Hamas has taken up arms in accordance with the UN Charter, while the United States continues to empower Israel,” he added.

Criticising global powers and Muslim leaders, the JI chief said the United Nations had lost its credibility by acting under American influence. “Israel was illegally imposed on Palestine. There is only one state in that land, and that is Palestine. The world does not need a UN that operates on American instructions,” he declared.

Hafiz Naeem also rejected the idea of a two-state solution, saying Hamas was the true representative of Palestinian resistance. “Learn diplomacy from Hamas,” he said, adding that the ongoing massacre in Gaza was a result of “shameless Muslim rulers and silent armies.”

He accused several Muslim countries of betraying the Palestinian cause by normalising relations with Israel. “Some Muslim rulers have already recognised Israel, and some are preparing to do so. They are a disgrace to the ummah,” he stated.

Taking aim at Pakistan’s major political parties, Hafiz Naeem questioned their commitment to Palestine. “How much have PML-N, PPP, and PTI protested for Palestine?” he asked, while acknowledging Imran Khan’s stance from prison, calling him a “political prisoner” who continues to oppose America and Israel.

The JI chief urged citizens across Pakistan to hold nationwide demonstrations on October 7 — two years after the Al-Aqsa Storm operation — to show solidarity with the Palestinian people at 11 a.m.