North West Women's conference addresses the future of Gaza

By Majed Iqbal- While international pressure seems to have produced a ceasefire in Gaza, feelings of outrage have not dissipated easily left by the international silence by leading powers whilst the aggression was taking place in Gaza. Bitter taste can be felt resounding in many countries and seemed no different for the Muslim community in the UK.



Beyond the Gaza episode and the alleged ceasefire by Israeli forces, debates and discussions continue to look at a viable alternative to achieving territorial integrity and liberation for the Palestinians and mapping out the main obstacle in the way of achieving this.

To discuss these issues over a 150 women attended a one day Conference which looked beyond the ‘ceasefire', evaluated the practical steps that could have prevented such atrocities and mapped out a future political set up to ensure stability and peace for the region

The women's chapter of the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir organised the conference in Longsight, Manchester opening a robust debate on the Gaza issue.

Shazia Rashid, a dentist by profession spoke in detail about the current Muslim leaders failures to respond to the calls of the Gazan people. Arab regimes were more interested in organising conference after conference laden with plush settings and foods, spending days arguing over the text that could go on the ‘declaration' to ‘condemn' Israel rather than using military pressure to stop Israel in its advances.

Shazia Rashid spoke of the need to continue accounting these rulers by speaking out against their actions and injustices as an Islamic duty and a political path to generate global opinion for their removal and their replacement with a sincere leadership that protects the interests of the people and the region as a whole.

The second speaker, Sultanah Parvin, the Women's Deputy Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain spoke in great detail on how an Islamic government would deal with a rogue state occupying territories illegally. She detailed the regional peace a Caliphate would offer to Jews, Christians and Muslims no different to the rich Muslim History which saw huge prosperity amongst communities in the very same region.