The conference titled "Our Agenda, Jerusalem", organized by Kastamonu University Eternal Youth Community, with Journalist-Writer Taha Kılınç participating as a speaker, was held on February 26, 2024, at the Faculty of Theology Conference Hall.
To the conference; Our Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Mehmet Atalan and Prof. Dr. Ömer Küçük, Science Dissemination Society Kastamonu Branch President Mehmet Uyanık, and our academic staff and students attended.
The opening speech of the conference was made by Enes Gürbüz, President of the Eternal Youth Community.
In his speech, Gürbüz said that a genocide unprecedented in the 21st century took place before the eyes of the world and emphasized that Palestine was turned into an open-air prison and Muslims were isolated from the world and subjected to inhumane treatment in their own country. Additionally, Gürbüz stated in his speech that they organized the program in order to raise awareness at our University for innocent and oppressed Muslims.
“Hopes for Palestine are constantly growing in the eyes and hearts of Muslims.”
After the opening speech, Author Taha Kılınç started the program by explaining the history of Jerusalem and its importance in terms of heavenly religions.
Underlining that Jerusalem is the first qibla, Kılınç talked about how important Jerusalem has been for Muslims for centuries. Kılınç, who gave information to the participants about the Jews' claim to Palestinian lands throughout history, said that the Jews rewrote historical information within the framework of their own theses.
Stating that Palestinians were the chosen nation in the eyes of foreigners in the historical Israel-Palestine war, Kılınç stated that foreigners/Christians appreciated people for their fortitude in the face of losses and their resistance against oppression. Stating that hopes for Palestine are constantly growing in the eyes and hearts of Muslims, Kılınç underlined that justice must come to the Palestinian people.
Pointing out that children living in Gaza grow up at an early age due to the life they live, Kılınç stated that Palestinian children should question the problems of people in their daily lives in the face of the traumas they experience.
“Israel is not as it is described”
Kılınç said that Israel has established psychological superiority by using discourses in the past years that Israel is a great state and follows people everywhere with technology, and stated that on October 7, 2023, unlike these discourses, they experienced a security weakness. Stating that the support given to Israel in the world is gradually decreasing, Kılınç stated that Israel's attacks in Gaza have now attracted reaction and even a lawsuit has been filed against Israel.
“The boycott must be sustainable”
Stating that there was a serious boycott attempt against Israeli oppression after October 7, 2023, Kılınç pointed out that in order for these boycotts to be sustainable, they should be explained to children and a long-term boycott should be carried out.
Kılınç continued his words as follows: “In fact, it is a process of attention that we must continue throughout our lives. For example, look at the prohibitions in the Sunnah in the Holy Quran. In fact, boycott is that, for example, as a Muslim, I cannot eat everything, I cannot drink everything, I cannot wear everything, I cannot go everywhere, I cannot love everyone. All of these are boycotts and the Quran and Sunnah have drawn the limits of these, but before October 7, we opened our hearts so much, we opened our pockets, we opened everywhere like this.”
“There must be resistance for the ages of 7 to 77”
Stating that everyone's support is needed against Israeli oppression, Kılınç said that in a period where technology is advanced and social media is used extensively, it has become easier to raise awareness against Israeli oppression and to confirm information about oppression.
Kılınç said that in the fight against the oppressor, the power and knowledge of a blacksmith is needed as much as the power and knowledge of Selahattin Eyyubi, and that everyone should ask the question "what can I do" to end the oppression. Kılınç said that he will leave a lasting mark in history thanks to the people who do their job in the best way, and reminded that God will help those who do their job in the best way.
The event ended with the presentation of a plaque to Taha Kılınç and then taking a souvenir photo.
