An event titled “Palestine Nakba: A Story of Struggle and Resistance from Displacement to Deluge” was organized by the Üsküdar University Jerusalem Club with the support of the Üsküdar University Health, Culture and Sports (SKS) Department. Valuable journalists and researchers participated in the event, which attracted significant interest. At the event, where the causes and consequences of the events in Palestine were discussed, Üsküdar University's Universal Human Values and Rights Manifesto was read. At the event, which Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also attended, Tarhan pointed out that there is a global Muslim population of 2 billion unable to protect 2 million Muslims. Tarhan emphasized that the “Universal Human Values and Rights Manifesto,” jointly prepared by Üsküdar University and Kazakhstan's L.N. Gumilev Eurasian University, aiming to be presented to the United Nations Security Council with 25,000 signatures, would be the greatest global support for Gaza. In his speech, Tarhan stated that there can be no military or political success without mental transformation.
The event, held at Üsküdar University Central Campus Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall, saw intense participation from international students, and Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also took part in the event.
Within the scope of the full-day program, a bazaar was organized for the Palestinian people, and a Palestinian documentary, from the Balfour Declaration to the Al-Aqsa Deluge, was screened.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “There is a Muslim population of 2 billion that cannot protect 2 million Muslims…”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, pointing out that most politicians governing Islamic states only consider today's politics and balance, said: “The geography of Palestine is not a geography that can be easily forgotten for us. Palestine has always been on our agenda. Gaza is, of course, a part of it. When we consider the last periods of the Ottoman Empire, they came to Sultan Abdülhamid when he was under a great debt and great need, saying, ‘We will clear all your debts; give us the right to settle in Palestine.’ The politics that America is currently pursuing, they were trying to do subtly in this way then. They were doing this approximately one hundred and twenty, one hundred and thirty years ago. They say all your debts will be erased, which means a tremendous opportunity. So, in such a situation, Sultan Abdülhamid’s answer is very meaningful. He says, ‘If I do such a thing, how will I answer when I go before Allah tomorrow?’ In other words, it shows how he acted for divine pleasure, how he acted with responsibility towards Allah. It actually shows the Ottoman Empire and the ideology that made it Ottoman. Currently, the politicians governing Islamic states in the world do not think this way. Most only think about today's politics. They only think about their current balances and powers. Unfortunately, the vast majority are like this. Because they think this way, we are currently adrift. In other words, there is a Muslim population of 2 billion in the world that cannot protect two million people. Right now, we may criticize Israel, we may criticize America, but there is a saying in Anatolia, ‘If you are pricking someone with a needle when discussing a problematic issue, prick yourself with the packing needle.’ A packing needle is a two-span long needle used for sewing quilts. It's such a needle, meaning it's said to prick yourself. That's why, as the Islamic world, we should say this.”
“People in the West are rediscovering Islam…”
Tarhan, pointing out that the world has entered a paradigm-shifting era, said: “Currently, Palestine, Gaza, is doing more than its part. In wars, there are often skirmishers, they are on the front lines of the war. They always die, they become martyrs. Right now, the Muslims in Gaza are like these mujahideen on the front lines. They are like the first Muslims of that era, living the prophetic ethics of the Age of Bliss. They are like these first forty Muslims. The Mecca period of the initial spread of Islam was thirteen years, and the Medina period was ten years. This thirteen-year period was the most difficult period. They migrated but still did not do anything contrary to Islamic law. Hz. Omar had told them, ‘Let’s defend ourselves.’ an embargo was imposed. Still, they did not fight injustice with weapons, because there is a religion that needs to be built upon hearts. Prophet Muhammad made such a choice, but in the Mecca period, defensive wars began concerning this. Now Gaza is in such a situation. They did no injustice to those who took them captive. They are not doing so. They are not acting cruelly. Yet they could act out of a desire for revenge. In such a situation, they are not doing this. This actually surprised the entire world, breaking the mold. In such a situation, it seriously broke the mold, and subsequently, the universities we now see in America and elsewhere, even the oppression became very evident. Its obviousness led to a perception as if the sun is rising from the west. That is, a paradigm-shifting era has been entered in the world, as if Muslims in the east cannot live Islam, and people in the west are rediscovering Islam. We can call this situation a turning point. Therefore, instead of speaking words full of emotional fervor, revenge, or curses, we need to carefully consider the divine plan.”
Tarhan; “We are trying to respond to weapons with weapons”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that the most beautiful weapon is the weapon of ideas, underlined that one should now wage jihad against the laziness within oneself. Tarhan; “We cannot correctly diagnose the illness in the Islamic world. That is, we are trying to respond to weapons with weapons. However, when we look at the event from the window of destiny, it's not with weapons; we don't need weapons here. We have truth like the Quran in our hands. We have truth like the Islamic world. The most beautiful weapon is the weapon of ideas. That is, when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was returning from the Battle of Badr, he said, ‘The small jihad has ended, the great jihad begins.’ When asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the great jihad?’ he replied, ‘The great jihad is the struggle against the self.’ We must now wage jihad against the laziness within us. We must wage jihad against fears. We must wage jihad against worldly affection. If we correct these, we will correct our behaviors. Only then can we capture the excitement, the enthusiasm, the desire of the first Meccan period. Being able to capture this excitement is therefore very important.”
Tarhan also added that there can be no military or political success without mental transformation.
The Medina Charter is actually a democracy charter…
Tarhan, referring to a global policy that suspends the declaration of human rights, said: “The Medina Charter is the world’s first human rights agreement. I dedicated a chapter to this in my social psychology book. Those who are curious can read it there. In other words, those who talk about human rights should actually read the Medina Charter. It is the charter regarding how Christians, Jews, other Pagans, and Muslims of that period would live fraternally in the Medina market. This is the first in the world. An agreement to live together by respecting their rights. The Medina Charter is actually a democracy charter. Currently, the human rights declaration has been suspended. If I had the human rights charter in my hand, I would burn it; it's something to be burned now. It has no meaning now; it doesn't comply with it. The United Nations does not comply with it. That's why we said against this that there is a global policy that suspends the human rights declaration. We have the right to say you are doing wrong against this. We have the right to stop cruelty, in our own way. Whatever the cost, we must take this risk.”
“If the Manifesto goes to the UN, it would be the greatest global support for Gaza”
Tarhan stated that Üsküdar University and Kazakhstan's L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University prepared a joint ‘Universal Human Values and Rights Manifesto’ and opened it for signatures, and said that the manifesto, which draws attention to the events in the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and finally Gaza, and aims for 25,000 signatures, will be presented to the UN General Assembly and Security Council at the end of this year. In the 10-article manifesto, Tarhan said; “As two universities, based on the events that have occurred, we foresaw that universal concepts and ideas need to be re-evaluated. As L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University and Üsküdar University; in such a situation, we believed that the silence of the university community, which is the environment where human rights and freedoms are experienced and discussed at the highest level, is a burden of responsibility. We wanted to make our voice heard with an institutional consensus rather than individual reactions and express our thoughts with a manifesto.”
Tarhan, speaking about the published manifesto, said; “Four weeks ago, we went to Astana, Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan, the book ‘Psychology of Values’ had been translated into Russian. There was a ceremony related to it. There, together with Astana University, I raised the issue of Gaza. I said, ‘We wrote the book on values, we made an agreement, but now this double standard is not being applied in Gaza.’ We said, ‘We need to do something about this.’ I said, ‘We must start a values movement. For human values, human rights, let’s publish a manifesto.’ Astana University officials accepted. They said, ‘It’s a very good idea.’ In fact, the university officials, in a way we did not expect, asked the Astana Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Astana Ministry of Foreign Affairs really liked our manifesto. They made further additions and improved it, and they said, ‘If this manifesto reaches 25,000 signatures, we will send it to the United Nations Security Council.’ If this manifesto goes to the United Nations Security Council, it would be the greatest global support for Gaza. This would greatly trigger the global conscience.”
“Universal Human Values and Rights Manifesto” was read
The Üsküdar University Universal Human Values and Rights Manifesto was read to the participants by SKS Manager Sadık Paksoy and SKS Specialist Meliha Merve Günaltay.
Afterward, Journalist and Researcher Dr. Mohammed Abu Taqiya spoke on ‘Did Palestinians sell their lands? Who are the '48 Palestinians? Who are the '48 Arabs?’
Dr. Abdurrahman El-Ferra spoke on ‘Did the war start on October 7th?’
Prof. Dr. Frank Romano spoke on ‘How does the Zionist lobby control the world?’
Journalist and Researcher Isra Almudallal delivered a speech titled ‘The sufferings of journalists in Gaza and their role in conveying the truth.’ 
Dr. Mohammed Abu Taqiya: “Steps that appeared sweet from the outside became the continuation of oppression”
Journalist and Researcher Dr. Mohammed Abu Taqiya, stating that Palestinians are treated as second-class citizens in their own lands, said; “The resistance began with raids, with the production of engineers. Palestinians are now present in their own lands as second-class citizens. They are not allowed to leave their neighborhoods. There is a military siege. People had no rights other than to eat and drink. They had no rights other than speaking, eating, and drinking water. It was like this until the 1960s. They were expected to be displaced. This was ended in 1967, along with Jerusalem. Steps that appeared sweet from the outside became the continuation of oppression. People looking from the outside now saw them as Israeli citizens. Unfortunately, this was not the case.”
Dr. Abdurrahman El-Ferra: “This is not a war, it's a massacre!”
Dr. Abdurrahman El-Ferra, underlining that Zionists target Palestine to protect their own interests, said; “This is not a war, this is a massacre, this is a genocide. These sufferings led to a great resistance, a great belief. It led to the idea of freedom. People accustomed to suffering tried to remain in resistance as years passed. Even as children, they realized this. We had neither a country nor land left in our hands. When faced with desperation, we began to escalate the resistance again. We are watching a bitter war, that is true, but we also know that it is a historical struggle. People, even if they were Westerners, made an effort.”
Gifts were presented to the journalists and speakers who provided help and support to the people in Gaza.
Documentary screening was held
After the presentations concluded, a documentary screening titled “Doctors and Journalists in Gaza” and “About Gaza” was held.
Afterward, a quiz competition about Jerusalem and Palestine was held. Following the competition, gifts were presented to the winners.
Within the scope of the event, a bazaar was organized and an exhibition was held for the Palestinian people.
The event concluded after a group photo session.