The President of the Muslim Association of NL is urging governments and leaders to call out injustice of any kind as violence escalates in the Middle East.

Dr. Syed Pirzada says the Muslim Association stands in solidarity with the civilians of Gaza who are suffering as a result.

He says people feel helpless, especially Palestinian families here who have families back home in Gaza.

In one case, there are family members who are driving around Gaza in a van with a mattress strapped to the roof. They are moving about trying to escape the latest bombing or missile attack, “and wherever they can find a place they will put the mattress and lie down there…not knowing where the next bomb is going to rain upon them.”

In another case, a family split their children between two locations, so that if one group of children dies, then the others will survive.

He says it doesn’t matter where it occurs, whether it’s Palestine or Israel or Ukraine or Kashmir, injustice of any kind will always result in outbursts.

And, say Pirzada, polarizing the issue creates greater problems, such as the recent rise in Islamophobia.