The “Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Symposium” was organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Student Clubs under the leadership of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Health, Culture and Sports Department (SKS). The symposium drew attention to the effects of Israel’s attacks on Gaza. In his opening speech at the symposium, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that this war would expose hypocrites, adding that genocide has been carried out in the region for 40 days, and the world still plays a deaf and mute role in the face of what is happening.
Within the scope of the symposium, organized by 11 clubs from Üsküdar Üniversitesi coming together at the Central Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, a charity bazaar was also held to aid Gaza.
In addition to students from different universities and civilians, Nevzat Duyar, Chairman of the Black Sea Confederation of Civil Society Organizations (KASTOP), and Faruk Çakmak, Chairman of the Düzce Associations Federation, also attended the symposium.
Ayşegül Tunçer: “This oppression in Gaza has been ongoing for 75 years”
In the opening speeches of the symposium, Ayşegül Tunçer, President of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Red Crescent Club, representing the student clubs, took the stage first. Tunçer stated that this oppression in Gaza has been ongoing for 75 years, and they organized the symposium with the motto ‘May Humanity Not Die in the World’ to bring this crisis to academic platforms.
Mustafa Şanverdi: “We are here not to remain silent about the drama in Palestine”
Mustafa Şanverdi, Representative of the ‘May Humanity Not Die in the World Platform,’ stated that they are working to make voices heard in a world where a heavy silence prevails. Şanverdi said; “Today, we gathered here with deep sorrow in our hearts and resolute hope. The ‘May Humanity Not Die in the World’ platform, which we created with our 11 student clubs at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, is not just a name; it is a chain of hearts where we share our pains, hopes, and common human values. In our world, where a heavy silence prevails, we are working to make these cries heard. We are here not to remain silent about the drama in Palestine.”
Lecturer Dr. Hamza Abunima: “Everything was planned, nothing happened by accident”
Lecturer Dr. Hamza Abunima from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Electrical-Electronics Engineering Department described what he felt as a Palestinian. Lecturer Dr. Abunima, who attended the symposium with his children, said; “I was born, grew up, and lived in Gaza… I am honored by your presence here. We are here together for Palestine because Israel is committing genocide in Palestine. We came here to show our solidarity. I don't know what to say because hospitals are being bombed, children are being killed, and I believe actions are more effective than words. They do everything with planning, and nothing happened by accident. The problem here is not religion, language, or race; they are simply stealing everything, stealing our homeland. Israel is not just a Jewish country; America is also there and governing. They constantly do things to disturb our peace and exert pressure. Even Jews stand with us; they showed their stance. That's why true Jews stand by us and support us.”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “We must sacrifice our comforts to erect our spiritual minbar there”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Advisor Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış drew attention to the fact that Turkey, like all countries, has a spiritual geography; “Just like all countries, our country also has a spiritual geography. Beyond 780 thousand square kilometers, we perhaps have an even larger spiritual geography. Samarkand, Bosnia, Jerusalem, Hashem, Gaza—these are our spiritual geographies. For our hearts to feel joy and happiness, the lives, properties, honor, and lands of the people living in these cities must be secure. Allah has given very important duties to some communities, some nations. One of them is Turkey. It is our country. From our past to the present, we must uphold this consciousness and awareness, which Allah has practically given us as a duty, to live this feeling and ensure it lives on throughout the world. Therefore, we need to grasp the consciousness and awareness, like Nureddin Zengi, like the Seljuk frontier bey, to have the minbar that would be placed in Jerusalem immediately after its conquest built beforehand. Nureddin Zengi had it built, the Emir of Aleppo had it built from 12 thousand trees without nails, saying, ‘I will conquer Jerusalem and place this minbar in Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ But the minbar was placed by Saladin Ayyubi, who became sultan after him. In 2007, that minbar was restored because a fanatic tried to burn the mosque, and the minbar was also damaged. Our material minbar stands there, but it is necessary to erect our hearts’ spiritual minbar there, to place it and exalt the name of Allah upon it. To proclaim Islam, justice, law, and humanity, to shout out fairness, honesty, and equity on earth, we must realize our minbars first in our hearts, then in our pockets, and then by sacrificing our comforts.”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka: “A world that remains unresponsive is deemed dead”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Rector Advisor Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zelka, emphasizing that a genocide is currently being watched globally within the scope of the opening speeches, said; “Unfortunately, we are spectators to an unexpected massacre. The first war broadcast live in the world was the 1991 invasion. This is also unfolding as a genocide being watched live by the world. Let's put an exclamation mark next to the term 'developed' for the entire world, which is labeled as developed, next to its civilization. The indifference of the civilized Western world, and even worse, the leaders in the Islamic world located in our near and spiritual geography – because their peoples have different feelings and thoughts – to this issue is profoundly thought-provoking. Recently, contrary to the thoughts of their leaders, significant reactions have begun to emerge in the Western world, including America, England, France, Greece, and in our near geography. It was impossible for these reactions not to occur because, according to current figures, there are over 11,000 martyrs. According to our faith, martyrs are destined for heaven. They will go to heaven without question. They are alive, they are sustained, but presumably, a world that remains unresponsive apart from them is deemed dead.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The world still plays a deaf and mute role”
Finally, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Chairman of the Executive Board Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who took the stage within the scope of the symposium's opening speeches, stated that it was the fortieth day of the genocide. Tarhan noted that the world still plays a deaf and mute role; “Especially the dominant powers, global capital, and humanity are currently undergoing such a test that this test, like litmus paper, will distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong, ethical and unethical, sincere and insincere, civilized and uncivilized, after passing through all of them. For this reason, in such situations, our brothers and sisters there being in such resistance is their test, but our test is to be on the side of good, right, beauty, and justice in such a situation. We, therefore, want to state that we are obliged to do our part in this test. This situation, in particular, is important… There is a state here, the state of Palestine. It is a state with defined borders, even if some do not recognize it. This can be likened to our War of Independence in 1915. What was there in the War of Independence? An invasion from Izmir in a place that had been a homeland for 500-600 years in Anatolia. When an invasion occurs, two kinds of all-out struggle are needed there. Military struggle is not enough; a stance taken only by soldiers is not enough; an all-out civil resistance is needed.”
“What this will is doing is a struggle”
Tarhan drew attention to the existence of a will trying to remove people living in their native lands within the borders of Palestine-Gaza; “Ahmet Hulusi Efendi, the Mufti of Denizli, gathered all the people after the prayer. It happened on May 15, 1919. He says, ‘Everyone pick up a stone,’ and has them throw the stones towards Izmir. The equivalent of this in psychological warfare is referred to as 'civil resistance, civil defiance.' In other words, it creates an awareness there, a civil resistance movement that helps people realize the oppression and injustice committed in such an event already begins… Before the Sivas and Erzurum congresses, Çerkez Ethem, whom everyone wrongly knows, and many Izmirian 'efes' (local heroes) in that region were the first to stop them. They were the ones who stopped that struggle. Ahmet Hulusi Efendi has a serious role here. For that, we owe a lot to those individuals. The same situation exists within the borders of Palestine-Gaza, where there is a will trying to remove people living in their native lands. What this will is doing is a struggle, and they are carrying out this struggle for religious reasons, as we are witnesses, we see it. They are already receiving its spiritual reward. There is such a serious resistance. These resistances are very difficult, but their not falling into despair, their high motivation, they have stopped massive global powers there, asking 'Where do these originate in the whole world, why don't they accept defeat, why don't they just leave?' Hopefully, they will be even more successful now.”
Tarhan: “War will expose hypocrites…”
Tarhan stated that this war would expose hypocrites, and that they stand with those struggling in Palestine wholeheartedly, spiritually, and actively, noting that victory would be with the patient.
Within the scope of the symposium, Lecturer Dr. Fehmi Ağca from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Political Science and International Relations Department delivered a speech on “War Ethics from the Perspective of International Law,” Attorney Gülden Sönmez, a Member of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, spoke on “The Role of International Organizations in the Palestine Issue,” Lecturer Dr. Rowanda D. Ahmed from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Software Engineering Department, spoke on “Life in Gaza,” Kaan Saner, Director of International Policies and Cooperations at Turkish Red Crescent, spoke on “The Role of NGOs in Humanitarian Crises,” and Journalist Sümeyye Ertekin delivered a speech on “War Through the Eyes of a Reporter.”
