Let’s Be Practical: Ditch Lobbying MPs for Palestine

During the early hours of suhoor on Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes rained down on Gaza, killing hundreds of Palestinians. Some were awake, sharing a meal with loved ones. Others were still asleep in makeshift displacement camps, unaware of the horror about to unfold. Entire families — generations — were wiped out in a matter of minutes. It was a tragic reminder that the so-called ceasefire agreements, once again, were not worth the paper they were written on.

For nearly 40 years, I have been deeply involved in Islamic activism, relentlessly advocating for the liberation of Palestine. When I first began calling for this, I faced widespread criticism, with many dismissing my stance as impractical. Over the decades, we’ve tried every so-called ‘practical’ approach — lobbying MPs, relying on international law, appealing to human rights conventions, and placing hope in the UN. Yet, after four decades, the truth is undeniable: none of these strategies have brought liberation to Palestine. If anything, the situation has only deteriorated.

The question now is — with reality screaming back at us loud and clear, showing the failure of ceasefires and political lobbying — will we finally take heed? Or will we stubbornly ignore the truth and continue down the same, ineffective path, hoping for different results?

The Illusion of Ceasefire

After more than a year of relentless genocide and destruction, the world rallied around the idea of a ceasefire. For some, it was a genuine belief that it could stop the massacres. For others, it was a convenient political stance — an easy way to maintain status, avoid losing social media followers, or dodge backlash from Zionist lobbies. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: a ceasefire is not a solution for the people of Palestine.

Lobbying MPs and appealing to Western governments, who have consistently backed Israel’s actions, is a strategy rooted in false hope. Those who still believe political pressure will stop the genocide are ignoring reality. Gaza doesn’t need more empty promises or diplomatic posturing. It needs a solution rooted in strength and action — not words.

Lobbying: The Lammy Cul-de-Sac

Even within British politics, the refusal to hold Israel accountable is painfully clear. When Foreign Secretary David Lammy recently stated that Israel had broken international law by blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, Downing Street swiftly rebuked him, forcing an embarrassing climbdown. The government’s revised stance? Israel was merely “at risk”of breaching international law — a far cry from acknowledging the truth or taking meaningful action.

This rare, public slap on the wrist for a senior minister exposes an undeniable reality: even those in power can’t speak honestly about Israel without facing immediate backlash. If government officials themselves are silenced, why should anyone believe that lobbying MPs will make a difference?

The hypocrisy runs even deeper. The same government that supports the blockade of food and aid to Palestinians hosted a lavish Westminster Iftar, attended by Prime Minister Keir Starmer — a performance of unity and compassion while Palestinians starve. They break bread in the halls of power, yet enable the starvation of an entire people. It’s a glaring reminder that political gestures mean nothing when they’re built on a foundation of complicity and betrayal.

It’s also a stark reminder of how those with a colonised mindset rush to accept such invitations, believing that by sitting at the table with their oppressors, they might secure even a tiny, symbolic concession — perhaps a mere metre square of land free from occupation for Palestine.

This desperate hope, rooted in the illusion that proximity to power will bring justice, only serves to legitimise the very systems that uphold the oppression. The reality is clear: no amount of dinner diplomacy will liberate Palestine.

The Need for Liberation, Not Diplomacy

Palestine is an occupied land, and history has repeatedly shown that occupation doesn’t end with diplomacy or political lobbying — it ends with liberation. Gaza doesn’t need politicians making empty promises; it requires real action. The armies of the Muslim world must mobilise to bring about the security and peace that the people of Palestine deserve.

There are many examples from history proving that Muslim armies have the capability to achieve this — but they lack the political will from their rulers to act.

The example of Saad El Shazly is just one. Saad was a prominent Egyptian military commander, best known for his role as Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Renowned as a brilliant strategist, he was the key architect behind Egypt’s initial successes against Israel. El Shazly masterminded the daring ‘Crossing of the Suez Canal,’ a bold and highly effective plan to breach Israel’s heavily fortified Bar Lev Line — a defence system widely regarded as impenetrable. His strategy involved a surprise attack on 6 October 1973, coinciding with Yom Kippur, also being the month of Ramadan. Egyptian forces crossed the canal using portable bridges, swiftly overwhelming Israeli defences and reclaiming significant territory in the Sinai Peninsula.

El Shazly’s victory wasn’t achieved through ceasefires or political deals — it was a result of courage, strategy, and force. Palestine’s struggle is no different. The idea that political pressure alone will bring justice is far-fetched and unrealistic. Time and again, history has proven that those who fight for their land are the ones who win it back.

Breaking Free from the Coloniser’s Rules

It’s high time we, as a community, stop walking on eggshells to appease the colonisers and work within the confines of the elites who have no desire to see Palestine liberated. For too long, we’ve tailored our words and actions to fit their narrative, fearing backlash or being labelled as extreme. But the reality is, no amount of diplomacy, politeness, or compliance will earn liberation for Palestine — because the very system we appeal to is designed to maintain the occupation.

True liberation demands that we break free from this cycle of appeasement and confront oppression head-on, unapologetically and with unwavering conviction. The call to liberate Palestine — through a Muslim army led by a sincere Islamic leadership — is the only viable solution. History has shown that occupation is never ended by the goodwill of the oppressor or through endless political manoeuvring. It’s time to stop recycling the same failed solutions handed to us by the very powers that enabled this occupation. Instead of asking whether this path is realistic, we must shift the conversation to how we will achieve it. The question isn’t whether liberation through strength and leadership is possible — it’s whether we’re willing to abandon the illusion of lobbying and commit to the path that history has proven to be the only one that works.