ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Muslims across the world will take to the street on Friday in simultaneous rallies to protest against the Israel occupation of Palestinian lands, the biggest of which to be held in the Iranian capital where hardliners will burn the Israeli and US flags, while chanting "Death to America and Israel!"
Several top clerical authorities in Iran on Thursday called on people to take part in Islamic Revolution founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's rally who began it 40 years ago to show worldwide Muslim solidarity with Palestinians on the last Friday of fasting during Ramadan.
Khomeini introduced the concept a few months after the 1979 Revolution of 1979 in response to Israeli cross border attacks against Palestinian militia groups in Lebanon. On Thursday
“For many years, I have warned about Israel the usurper, which has intensified its attacks on Palestinian brothers and sisters these days and in particular in Lebanon intending to destroy the Palestinian fighters, constantly bombing their homes,” Khomeini said in his terse message naming the occasion on August 7, 1979.
"Commemorating International Quds Day is surely heeding the wise call that Imam Khomeini, may God have mercy on, him made. It shows the extent of the commitment of Arab and Islam peoples to the Palestinian cause," he said on Friday.
Protesters in ‘Quds Day’ parades often carry signs supporting Hezbollah and other militants groups across the Middle East. However the UK parliament on March 1 added Hezbollah to a list of terrorist organisations and supporting the group carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Protestors in the southern Iraqi city of Basra demonstrated against the United States and President Donald Trump, Israel, and Saudi King Salman on Friday.
#QudsDay rolls through southern Iraq with Shiites protesting #Saudi, #US, #Israeli role in #Palestinian affairs 📷 @AFP
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) May 31, 2019
Background: https://t.co/A2KOrCO00F pic.twitter.com/uPuXcNOJl0
For a several years there have been attempts to ban the parade in London.
“I've raised my deep concerns about the support shown for Hezbollah at the annual Al Quds march in London on a number of occasions - and the fact the Home Secretary has finally listened and is taking action is welcome,” Sadiq Khan the Mayor of London responded to a question on March 21. “However, neither myself nor the Met have the power to ban marches or protest; that power lies with the Home Secretary.”
The day is officially called International Quds Day.
Iranian Minister of Culture Abbas Salehi said this week that the day's goal is to defend Palestinians' democratic rights.
“It’s more than 40 years from Camp David to the Deal of the Century. US peace further fueled war and violence in the region from Carter to Trump,” he wrote on Twitter.
Rhetoric and emotion will run high following midday prayers across the Islamic world, with many protesting US President Donald Trump's decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and the re-election of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
