World Cup 2022 saw the acceptance of Palestine by international community
The International Conference on Palestine Kuala Lumpur (ICPKL) 2023 speaker Dr Sharif Abu Shammala said football lovers from all over the world who were present in Qatar for the World Cup showed their solidarity with Palestine.
"Many of the football lovers had boycotted Israeli journalists, we also saw many of them raise the Palestinian flag.
"That showed that the international community is aware of the situation faced by Palestinians and is standing together with us," he told Sinar Daily.
On the other hand, Sharif said Arab countries were also now supporting and normalising Israel.
"But, Alhamdulillah, the international community is now working hard to overcome this issue.
"Meanwhile, there are also Jewish people who are aware and concerned about the Palestinians' plight and are standing together with us," he added.
Speaking on Gaza, Sharif said Gaza is beautiful beach and has a great beach.
"I’m from Gaza, and I know the beauty of Gaza. Gaza has also has a great beach. Though, we don’t have so many facilities, but the people love it here.
"We also have farms and a beautiful nature. You experience people picking fruit on their own on the farms," Sharif, who is also the Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia's chief executive officer, said.
Sharif added that another beauty of Palestine is the people.
"We see the people celebrating, we also saw people to rebuilding their home again. They have risen up to live life again with hope.
"If you understand the tale of Gaza, I believe that you will be able to see the beautiful Palestinian souls.
"Not to mention, Gaza is a home to alot of traditional and delicious food," he said.
Sharif also said that he prays to Allah SWT to bring all his brothers and sisters to Gaza.
He also expressed his hope that Malaysia would be a good example for the international community in addressing all issues related to Palestine.
"My hope is that this conference will be a good platform for networking and changing perceptions among activists and the public.
"I hope this conference will make Malaysia a pioneer for highlighting Palestine issues."
