Adeel Malik
On Wednesday, Donald Trump made the most controversial declaration to date of his presidency by announcing the sacred city of Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel and moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to the revered city. This has naturally outraged the Muslim community worldwide as well as numerous non-Muslim too including world leaders.
https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/938208312574611456
https://www.facebook.com/YeniSafakEnglish/videos/734494523415543/
The decision by President Trump on Jerusalem – which includes occupied Palestinian territory – is reckless, wrong and a threat to peace. It is being rightly condemned across the international community.
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 6, 2017
Trump's plan to shift US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem is contrary to all UN resolutions & is an attempt to deliberately add to the chaos in the ME. This new Trump move will also undermine the international consensus on how to move forward in resolving the Palestinian conflict.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 6, 2017
Pope Francis has strongly appealed to all "to respect the status of Jerusalem, in accordance with resolutions of the United Nations." He expressed "profound concern" at "the situation created in recent days", by which he means Pres. Trump's announced decision to change its status
— Gerard O'Connell (@gerryorome) December 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/mollycrabapple/status/938652680561594370
https://twitter.com/nblhn_/status/939066744269783040
We, at Muslim Council of Hong Kong, have once again taken on board to voice out our sentiments when injustice and oppression is being done to a Muslim community worldwide. And alongside this letter, we are also raising funds to support the people of Palestine with the upcoming winter, please click here to donate.
We have sent a letter of condemnation to the U.S. Consulate of Hong Kong, which is similar to what MCHK did in response to Myanmar government’s barbaric treatment of the Rohingya, Russia’s support of Bashad al-Assad chemical air strikes in Syria and British parliament voting in support of air strikes in Syria.
It is hoped with this letter we are able to make a stance against a wrong being done, create awareness of the issue at hand and remind those in power to be responsible of their actions.
Kurt Tong
Consul-General
U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau,
26 Garden Road,
Central, Hong Kong
Date: 8th December, 2017
Letter of Condemnation in relation to the United States of America’s President declaring Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel
Dear Mr. Tong,
In view of the recent announcement by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump officially proclaiming Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, we at the Muslim Council of Hong Kong, alongside Muslims and Non-Muslims in Hong Kong and worldwide, wish to express our utmost shock, downright condemnation and utter dismay over this highly sensitive issue.
Since you represent the identity here in Hong Kong, for the United States of America, we duly hope our message will be communicated to those responsible in your government. To that end, I am writing to express our disappointment and angst in your government’s deliberate act of aggression against the people of Palestine and Muslims at large in clear violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly UNSCR 478 of 1980.
This extremely controversial decision could never sit well with the Muslim community worldwide considering the status of Jerusalem for the community from a religious and cultural point of view. It’s as important and sacred to us as the cities of Makkah and Madinah are in Saudi. Thus, this move by Donald Trump is only going to further undermine any peace ongoing process and in fact it will worsen the situation even more, creating more tension and unprovoked violence.
For a nation that champions itself to be a peacemaker and fighter for human rights of all, this statement is anything but an incitement by the President, which won’t go down well with those who truly want peace in the land entrenched with a history of oppression and injustice by the illegal state of Israel.
The Muslim community of Hong Kong, alongside billions of others, unequivocally condemn the declaration, demands the USA to immediately end its hateful foreign policies and withdraw this decision which has no legal, moral or historic grounds.
We therefore humbly request key individuals with authority within the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau to pursue means of defusing this situation and allow common sense to prevail.
Yours sincerely,
Adeel Malik
Chairman
Muslim Council of Hong Kong
If anyone in Hong Kong would like to send this letter as a PDF to the Consul General of U.S. in Hong Kong personally, please send us a whatsapp message on (+852) 6848 5966 or email and we will email you the letter.
Such an action is inspired by what Islam teaches in terms of when we see an evil as Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
“Whoso- ever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”
[Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) | Narrated in Muslim, Hadith number 49]
