From Karbala to Gaza: Call of Al-Aqsa IV concludes

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
Today 15:04

Over 400 figures from 60 countries have gathered in Karbala for the Al-Aqsa Call Conference, urging global action to support Palestine and end the Gaza famine.

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Participants at the fourth Al-Aqsa Call Conference (Social media)

The fourth Al-Aqsa Call Conference concluded on Sunday in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, bringing together 400 participants from 60 countries. The event was aimed at consolidating international support for the Palestinian cause and promoting religious unity around al-Aqsa.

The al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds has long been a focal point of aggression under Israeli occupation. The site faces repeated incursions by extremist settlers, often under the protection of Israeli forces, who violate its sanctity and provoke confrontations with Palestinian worshippers.

The Conference was first launched in September 2022 through cooperation with several organizations, including the General Secretariat of the Imam Hussain Shrine, the Iraqi Dar al-Ifta’, and the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine.

Its core mission is to amplify support for Palestine by highlighting the shared values between the Palestinian struggle and the principles of the uprising of Imam Hussain. With the large influx of pilgrims in Karbala, the conference also aims to foster Islamic unity for al-Aqsa and extend global religious solidarity with Palestine.

Moral and spiritual obligation to resist

The final statement declared that defending the Palestinian cause is not only a political stance but “a spiritual obligation and a moral imperative.”

“We declare our commitment to the path of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), which compels us to align with justice wherever it may be and to stand firm against falsehood,” the statement read.

"اليوم نجتمع في تحالفٍ روحي وتاريخي بين كربلاء الحسين وكربلاء فلسطين، بين الدم المظلوم والحق الذي لا يُقهَر."

الطبيب الجريح من #غزة، محيي الدين أحمد الطهراوي، خلال الجلسة الختامية لمؤتمر نداء الأقصى الدولي الرابع.#الميادين pic.twitter.com/mwESPWvN6D
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 3, 2025

It further affirmed, “We express our unwavering support for the legitimate Palestinian cause, until the full liberation of Palestinian land, from the river to the sea.”

Furthermore, the communique issued a clear denunciation of normalization with the Israeli occupation, stressing that any such act constitutes complicity in crimes against humanity.

“Any form of normalization with the Zionist entity is a declared act of complicity and a partnership in crimes against humanity,” the statement warned, urging all “free nations” to uphold and intensify boycott campaigns against "Israel".

Participants emphasized that the boycott is “not optional, but a moral, ethical, and religious imperative.”

Call for international accountability

The conference also held the international community accountable for its failure to act against the Israeli siege and ongoing aggression on Gaza. The final communique stressed that global silence in the face of these atrocities amounts to “complicity in Israel’s violations.”

In a show of unity, participants called for the establishment of a legal and religious doctrine in support of resistance, rooted in shared moral principles and international law.

Delegates also hailed the resilience of Gaza’s people and encouraged global solidarity that moves beyond rhetoric. “Stand by them not only in spirit, but through action, and break the wall of silence,” the statement urged.

The conference extended praise to senior religious authorities for their principled support of the Palestinian cause, with special mention of Iraq's top religious authority, Sayyed Ali al-Sistani. Delegates lauded his “steadfast backing of Palestine and his solidarity with the Palestinian people during pivotal moments.”

It is worth noting that this year's conference served as a platform to unify religious, legal, and activist voices from across the globe in rejection of normalization, defense of the al-Aqsa Mosque, and unwavering commitment to the liberation of Palestine.