Globaltellblog Always More to Read…
Related Articles
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected the Organization of Islamic Conference’s call for Nigeria to join other Islamic countries to punish Israel for launching rockets into Gaza, Palestine, in retaliation to rockets fired into the country by the Islamic Resistance Movement popularly known as Hamas.
CAN’s reaction came after the OIC, whose Nigeria membership is being opposed by Christians in the country, summoned an emergency meeting of Islamic countries, where resolutions were passed against Israel in favour of Hamas and Palestine.
CAN, which is the apex umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, specifically frowned at the Turkish President’s alleged call on President Muhammadu Buhari to join the Arab world in fighting Israel.
It quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as calling on, “the international community to teach the necessary lesson to unlawful, unjust and unscrupulous Israel due to its attacks against Palestine,” adding that “President Erdogan voiced his belief that Nigeria would show solidarity with the Palestinians in this rightful cause.”
In a statement by its National Secretary, Daramola Joseph Bade, CAN said: “We are worried that Nigeria which was wrongly labelled an Islamic State because of her unlawful membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has been taking side with the Palestinians since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Hence why the Turkish President asked Nigeria to identify with the Palestinians.”
The renewed Israeli–Palestinian crisis started on May 6 following Palestinian protests that erupted into violence.
The Palestinians were protesting an anticipated Israeli Supreme Court judgment on the eviction of six Palestinian families from a neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
Two Palestinian militant groups, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, were said to have begun firing rockets into Israel from Gaza after Israel ignored their call to withdraw the country’s troops from the neighborhood.
Israel retaliated the rocket attacks, resulting in at least 140 Palestinians and 10 Israelis’ deaths
