Trade pact or subservience: the case of Nigeria versus Israel

[joeblow]

Trade pact or subservience: the case of Nigeria versus Israel

http://www.islamicmovement.org/israelvsn...lado09.htm

“The purpose of my visit is to demonstrate an Israeli presence in Africa; I want to tell the leaders I meet that Africa is important to Israel. We must not neglect them, especially in view of the efforts by countries like Iran to influence them and establish themselves there."
These are the words of the “mafia boss," as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, rightly called the Foreign Minister of the illegal State, Avigdor Liebermann.

This visit by one of the Israel’s political gunslingers and far-right extremists was aimed, among other things, at persuading the Nigerian government and the public to adopt Israel’s definition of the situation in the Middle East: Israel doesn’t occupy Palestine, it only has a military presence there; Hamas is a terrorist organization not a legitimate government resisting an illegal occupation and blockade; Israel is a Western style democracy only interested in putting its security concerns above all else, and to discuss Israeli concerns that Iran is ‘making efforts to establish itself in the region.’

This definition will surely ignore not only the historic 60 years of crimes of ethnic cleansing of native Palestinians, the crimes and humiliation of occupation but also the actions of Israeli army during its 22-day assault on the caged Gazza Strip earlier this year which is being spotlighted with the arrival of a United Nations investigative delegation in the Strip. Perhaps these are some of the issues the state of Israel wished to deflect public opinion and attention from, with this ‘historic Africa tour’.

Mr. Liebermann's visit to Nigeria has no doubt raised concerns among the Nigerian people knowing fully the atrocities being committed against Palestinians by Israel. Nigerians have shown their disapproval of any attempt by the country to enter any agreement with the nation being considered as enemy of peace in the world.

This was evident in the protests reported to have taken place in some major cities in Nigeria, especially Lagos, Abuja and Kano. So also were statements issued to media by civil societies and individuals, particularly Muslim scholars. A joint statement signed by the coalition of human rights groups/civil society organizations read: "As a coalition of civil society organizations who are yearning for equality, justice and equity anywhere in the world, we oppose the proposed visit to Nigeria by … Israeli leader, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu (represented by Liebermann)."

The coalition explained that it does not have any justification, socially; politically and even morally to support an Israel leader's visit to Nigeria as Israel is known for its very indecent records on injustice, racial cleansing and great hatred for innocent women and children in Gazza. There is no where today in this world where the blood of innocent women, young men and children is shed the way Israel is doing currently in Gaza. Even during the recently concluded period of Ramadan fast, Israel was killing people observing the month fast, re-assuring its disrespect to the Muslims respected period.

It could be recalled that Nigeria restored relationship with the illegal state in 1992 during the “maradonic” era, amidst protests by majority of well meaning Nigerians. Despite the obvious bellicose views of Mr. Libermann and the growing global call for boycott of the pariah country he represents, the current Nigerian Authorities showed bad leadership in Africa by allowing this man in through the back door. Otherwise how could they dare host this emissary from an apartheid state (as former US President Jimmy Carter demonstrated in his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid). Today the population of Palestinian refugees stands at over 7.0 million people.

Three quarters of the entire world population of Palestinians are refugees and/or living in exile. There are 59 refugee camps scattered all over Palestine and the Arab World. To this day, justice has been denied. Palestinians’ inalienable right to return to their homes and lands has been put on hold and subverted by the creation of this racist Zionist Apartheid State and the collusion of many other countries.

"The ugly Israeli" pretended that "We are here to preserve our relations. I brought with me a big business delegation, people who want to invest”; after a closed-door meeting in Abuja. He said his delegation included representatives of top Israeli companies in the fields of water management, agriculture, medicine and infrastructure. The hard fact, however, is that most of the members of his entourage are arms dealers, as well as security personnel and representatives of the military industries. The arms dealers (mostly former intelligence and military officials), who promote weapons sales on behalf of Israeli military industries, with the backing of the defense establishment, have given Israel a bad name world-wide. Israelis have been involved in African civil wars (in Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast) and in aiding dictatorial regimes such as in Equatorial Guinea and the two Congo Republics. It was gathered that a case worth $25 million has been concluded recently between Israel Shipyards and the Nigerian defense ministry.

The crux of the matter is that Israel is so much concerned about the progress of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (popularly referred to as Shiites) led by the Revered Shaykh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) and assumes it to be the result of Iran’s influence and seek to form a backdoor strategy of dictatorship to their errand boys supposedly referred to as Nigerian leaders to deal with it. In the first instance, let Israel know that its objection to Iran’s nuclear programme has no basis in international law (just like its enforcement of Israeli law and holding elections in East Jerusalem have no basis in international law) because Israel is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT, and has unilaterally developed its own nuclear weapons illegally.

Are the Nigerian officials oblivious of these simple truths?
The unsupported assertion that Iran supplies sophisticated arms to the Palestinians is like the unsupported assertion in July 2003 when Foreign Israeli Minister Shalom stated that Iran would have nuclear bomb capability by 2006. It did not have nuclear weapons in 2006. Although Iran has not attacked any country in the last 600 years, Israel launched attack, unprovoked, on its neighbour, Syria, as recent as 2007 under the pretext of attacking the country’s alleged nuclear weapon facility.

It has come to limelight that the Islamic Movement under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) dominated the issues of discussion with Nigerian leaders. The purported “agreement” stated in black and white the assassination of Zakzaky by Nigerian Government as a condition. Recall that during 60th anniversary of brutality of the illegal state, Ambassador Mr. Ram launched personal direct attacks on Zakzaky openly in one of our national dailies. Yet authorities were adamant. We were surprised, then, but now it has become abundantly clear to us that a servant dare challenge his overlord even on rational issues!

In connection to this, we may recall Lehud’s (the then Lebanese Prime minister) response to Collin Powell, a staunch neoconservative of the Bush era, who suggested disbanding Hizbullah during one of his “trips”. Powell and his colleagues at crime always claim that Hizbullah is a parallel Government. Lehud, a Christian, said every nation has heroes to which it is proud of. Hizbullah are heroes of Lebanon and hence it is proud of them. In the same context, Members of the Islamic Movement are the Nigerian heroes! Even the Nigerian Security reports indicate categorically this fact by stating that the Islamic Movement is the only organization that has hope for Nigeria.

Security operatives in Nigeria have really planned the “blue prints” on how to carry out the Israeli order and attack the Movement during a highly confidential meeting they held in Abuja. Part of the plan before the attack is to use clerics during daily Ramadan tafsir to condemn the activities of the Islamic Movement with a view to removing good feelings and sympathy of people towards its members. No wander we were all living witnesses to the confused tafsir of Dr Gumi who had consistently urged the Nigerian Government to descend on the Shia whom he has branded as Kuffar (non Muslims) and Munafiqun (hypocrites).They planned to assassinate Shaykh Zakzaky by bombing his residence at Gyallesu Quarters in Zaria “not minding the consequences”. Allah (SWT) thwarted their plans!
For every action there is consequence. Even for those of us conversant with science, Newton’s third law of motion states that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This applies to inanimate physical things. What more of living things especially man, who surpasses all other animate things due to special favours, such as intellect, bestowed upon him by Lord, the creator of all things? One of the ultimate goals of a civil servant or any law enforcement agent is to retire successfully and go back to “rest” at home or elsewhere for the remaining part of his life on Earth.

Do Perpetrators of atrocities such as institutional assassinations, brutal massacres etc., expect that upon all their actions, they will go scot free? God, the Overseer of all happenings is always around. Also fellow rationale human beings are witnesses to all these. The blood relatives of affected personalities are also there. Upon all these, it will be very foolish of anybody to think that he would go free after retirement or even during active service. The current concealed critical condition of the commander of Sabra and Shatila brutal massacre, Ariel Sharon, is still fresh in our minds to ponder upon: “suspension” under terrible condition between the life in this World and that of the hereafter! What a commensurate punishment from the Lord of the Worlds! Good riddance!

The sensible thing to do by the Nigerian Authorities was to boycott all relationship with the apartheid state as done by many countries in the World, more especially after the Gazza genocide. If at all there is a necessity of relating with the illegal State, let them tell the Zionists to come and draft a mutual agreement on trade and investment or any other beneficial life endeavours and NOT to submit to ridiculous dictate of the assassination of a bonafide citizen! The illegal state went to a costly war because of its two citizens who were held captives by Hizbullah. Of course the Zionists were humiliated because they returned vanquished upon all their brag of invincibility. Then, how can a sensible country on Earth sacrifice its citizen, a distinguished personality for that matter, as part of what was disguised as a Trade pact? This is, to say the least, very unfortunate. Do we have an iota of hope with such supposed “leaders”?

Philosophy of killing, killing and killing never works. The Zionists are always fond of killing people other than Jews .They killed Qassam, Arafat, Yasin, Rantissi , etc but still HAMAS (Islamic Movement in Palestine) comes out stronger. Similarly their attacks on the Islamic Movement in Nigeria always make the Movement coming out stronger. Nigeria should take heed from other sovereign truly independent countries. This Country, which is currently “mourning” its 49 years of independent slavery should follow suit and shy away from illegal Israel with immediate effect. The illegal state cannot survive without subventions from the USA. What then do they have to offer to a blessed country like Nigeria? We in Nigeria, where Muslims are the majority, totally condemn not only servant-lord relationship with the Zionists, but any relationship at all.

We are tied of irresponsible leadership that is aloof of the condition of its citizen but always ready to serve arrogant powers who mercilessly usurp our resources. We have been wobbling in between activities of military dictators, fraudulent civil elites and confused intellectuals. The feasible option left for us is a revolution based on Islamic principles. The Islamic Movement under the divinely-inspired leadership of Shaykh Ibraheem al-Zakzaky (H) is already on the track. Let us join the bandwagon with utmost dispatch to prepare grounds for the prosperity of our younger generation and ultimately for the attainment of the pleasure of Allah (SWT).

Peace be upon those who follow (true) guidance.

Dauda Nalado, Kano.