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The critical question asked, by Tariq Ramadan, for the Muslims in the Western society in this edition of Press TV's Islam and Life is what the Muslims' response should be to employment discrimination. Muslims are discriminated in West and given less opportunities in employment and education. Enjoy the show

[08 May 2014] US manages little employment rise despite stimulus policies - English

Watch this clip to understand the view of Vali Amr Muslimeen, Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamanei on the issue of women employment.

Short Animation - استخدام - Employment - All Languages

Every day, a thousand jobs are lost in France. 3.2 million French are looking for jobs, that\'s a record since the 1990s. According to the International Labour Organisation, western countries like France are focusing too much on austerity and too little on creating jobs. The worst affected are those who have been out of the job market for more than six months. At state run job centers, the wait for jobs offers is getting longer. But a study shows, the centers are unable to handle fresh waves of job seekers. The study shows employment offices like the one right behind me are have such complicated administrations that they will need over three dozen reforms in order to serve the French and help them find jobs that are badly needed. Anustup Roy, Press TV, Paris

[13 June 2012] Qatar lacks single shred of democracy - English Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that Qatar's World Cup stadiums may be built using an exploited labor force of migrant workers in Qatar and urged the country to reform its employment laws. Interview with Ali al-Ahmed, director of the IGA

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran. JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities. The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue. The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran. AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran. Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more. Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president. AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic. Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur. JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs. We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region. AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place. A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another. But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number. So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free. JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that? AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break. [break] AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now. PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed. AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it. Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that. But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy. AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see. Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here. I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end. It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward. I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie. AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran. Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is. JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion. Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad. But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue. AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad. ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration. AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran. JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities. The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue. The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran. AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran. Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more. Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president. AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic. Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur. JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs. We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region. AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place. A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another. But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number. So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free. JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that? AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break. [break] AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now. PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed. AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it. Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that. But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy. AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see. Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here. I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end. It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward. I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie. AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran. Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is. JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion. Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad. But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue. AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad. ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration. AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran. JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities. The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue. The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran. AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran. Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more. Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president. AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic. Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur. JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs. We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region. AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place. A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another. But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number. So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free. JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that? AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break. [break] AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now. PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed. AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it. Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that. But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy. AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see. Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here. I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end. It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward. I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie. AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran. Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is. JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion. Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad. But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue. AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad. ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration. AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may Allah’s blessings be upon our Master, Muhammad al-Mustafa and his immaculate Family and his elect Companions. As a symbol of Islamic unity and honour and the emblem of monotheism and spirituality, the Holy Ka’bah, during the Hajj season, is host to the ardent and hopeful hearts, who come hurrying from all over the world to the birthplace of Islam in response to the call of the Glorious Lord. At this time, the Islamic Ummah can have a bird’s eye view of its own great extent and diversity, seen through the eyes of its envoys who gather here from all over the world, and be witness to the profound faith that rules over the hearts of the followers of the True Religion, and appreciate its great and peerless heritage. This self-discovery of the Ummah enables us as Muslims to become aware of the position which is worthy of them in the world, today and tomorrow, and to keep moving towards it. The expanding wave of Islamic awakening in the world today is a reality that heralds a bright future for the Islamic Ummah. This powerful surge started three decades ago with the victory of the Islamic Revolution and establishment of the system of the Islamic Republic. Our great Ummah has continued to march ahead non-stop, removing the obstacles from its way and conquering new fronts. The sophisticated stratagems of the global Arrogance and its costly maneuvers aimed at countering Islam are also a consequence of these victories. The extensive propaganda of the enemy to spread Islamophobia, its offhand efforts to create discord among Muslim sects, to incite sectarian prejudices, to bring about pseudo-confrontations between the Sunnis and the Shi’ah, to create disunity between Islamic states and to aggravate their differences, to change them into hostility and unsolvable conflicts, its employment of intelligence and espionage outfits to propagate corruption and immorality amongst the youth—all these are nervous and bewildered responses to the steady and firm advances of the Islamic Ummah towards awakening, honour and freedom. Today the Zionist regime is no more the undefeatable monster of 30 years ago. The United States and the West are also no more the unquestionable decision-makers of the Middle East that they were two decades ago. Contrary to the situation that existed ten years ago, the nuclear know-how and other complex technologies are no longer considered inaccessible daydreams for Muslim nations of the region. Today the Palestinian nation is an acknowledged paragon of resistance, the Lebanese nation has single-handedly demolished the fake awesomeness of the Zionist regime and emerged as the victor of the 33-day war, and the Iranian nation is at the vanguard of the movement towards the looming peaks. Today the arrogant United States, the self-styled commandant of the Islamic region and the real sponsor of the Zionist regime, is bogged down in the quagmire of its own making in Afghanistan. As a result of all its crimes against the people of Iraq, it is in the course of becoming isolated in that country. It is hated more than ever before in disaster-stricken Pakistan. Today, the influence of the anti-Islamic front which since the past two centuries has acted as a despotic overlord over Islamic nations and states and plundered their resources, is receding before the heroic resistance of the Muslim nations. On the opposite side, the wave of Islamic awakening is steadily advancing and growing in depth day by day. On the one hand, this hopeful and promising situation should inspire us, the Muslim nations, to keep marching ahead towards the desirable future with ever greater confidence. On the other hand, the past lessons and experience should make us more vigilant than ever before. This general imperative undoubtedly calls for greater commitment from religious scholars, political leaders, intellectuals and youth than the others and requires them to be at the vanguard of the struggle. The clear and living message of the Noble Qur’an is addressed to us: You are the best nation ever brought forth for mankind: you bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and have faith in Allah. (3:110) In this majestic address the Islamic Ummah is declared as one which has been brought forth for the sake of humanity. The aim of its birth is the good of mankind and its deliverance. Its major duty is to urge what is good and to forbid evil while maintaining unshakeable faith in God. There is no ‘right thing’ (ma’ruf) more significant than rescuing nations from the satanic claws of the global Arrogance, and there is no ‘wrong thing’ (munkar) uglier than dependence on the Arrogant and servitude to them. Today the major duties of the elite of the Islamic Ummah is to provide help to the Palestinian nation and the besieged people of Gaza, to sympathize and provide assistance to the nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Kashmir, to engage in struggle and resistance against the aggressions of the United States and the Zionist regime, to safeguard the solidarity of Muslims and stop tainted hands and mercenary voices that try to damage this unity, to spread awakening and the sense of responsibility and commitment among Muslim youth throughout Islamic communities. The glorious spectacle and stage of Hajj provides us with an opportunity for the fulfillment of these duties and summons us to intensify and redouble our resolution and efforts. Peace and Allah’s mercy be upon you! Sayyid Ali Hussaini Khamenei 1 Dhul Hijjah, 1431 (8 Nov., 2010)

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

O Allah! Send blessing on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. (All) praise is for Allah (only) who, through His omnipotence, strips the night of darkness, and, through His mercy, brings in the visible light of the day, wrapped me in its brightness, and filled me with its benefits. O my Allah, just as Thou kept me alive (till) this day, let me live through many such days; bless (Thy) Prophet, Muhammad and his children, and do not bring loss upon me in any part of its duration, and also in other nights and days, (by way of not preventing myself from) going in for anything unlawful, and making progress through wrongful means; give me its good, good that is there in it now, and good that it shall have, keep me aloof from its evil, evil that is there in it now, and evil that it shall have. O my Allah, I, totally committed to Islam, seek nearness to Thee; fully learning and grasping (the meanings of) the (Holy) Quran, resolve firmly to rely upon obedience unto Thee; and through the medium of Muhammad Al Mustafaa (the chosen), peace and blessings of Allah be on him and his children, I ask Thee for my rescue, therefore know well, acknowledge, and accept, O my Allah, the commitment and alliance on which I rely to receive satisfaction of my desires, O the Most Merciful. O my Allah, in the hours of this Thursday, fulfil my five desires, do not set in motion anything except Thy generous kindness, do not make possible and promote interest of any thing except Thy favour; (give me) sound health and wholesome security which I shall use to obey Thy commands, (confidence) to do good deeds which put me in a position to deserve more and more rewards from Thee, sufficient means of livelihood through fair and lawful employment, be my escort in the hour of fright to afford security, and in the hours of difficulties and sorrows keep me under Thy fortified stronghold; send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad, and let my alliance with them be a means of recommendation on the Day of Judgement, because verily Thou art the the Most Merciful. O Allah! Send blessing on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.

Over 50-thousand people have attended a demonstration called by the Metalworkers Union FIOM in Italy\'s capital Rome. Temporary workers mostly from the health and education sectors as well as students and the unemployed took part in the rally to demand the new broad-based government put the issue of work at the centre of its political agenda. Protesters warned that they cannot wait any longer: they urged the government to bring an end to the policy of austerity and scrap some of the measures introduced by previous Berlusconi\'s and Monti\'s governments that have contributed to batter employment. Max Civili, PressTV, Rome

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as \\\\\\\"oppressors\\\\\\\". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as \\\\\\\"oppressors\\\\\\\". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as \\\\\\\"oppressors\\\\\\\". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as \\\\\\\"oppressors\\\\\\\". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!

All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities. Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee. For more details, please visit : freealquds.org Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds: The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event. This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions: 1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps. 2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election. 3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments. 4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children. 5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine. 6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity. 7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"oppressors\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". 8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews. 9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law. 10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime. 11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region. 12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem. Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians. Long Live Palestine!!!