Dr. Olsi Jazexhiu Leads IIUM Histforium Event on Palestinian Issue: From Abraham Accords to the Collapse of Syria

By, Daniya Afroz

GOMBAK, 25 January 2025: Under the guidance of an academic in the Department of History and Civilisation, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), Dr. Olsi Jazexhiu, the Secretariat of History and Civilization (HISTFORIUM) organized an enlightening awareness event titled, “The Palestinian Issue: From Abraham Accords to the Collapse of Syria” on 10 January 2025 at IIUM Gombak. The event aimed to educate participants about the Palestinian issue’s historical and current challenges as well as its wider regional ramifications.

The event was initiated by Dr. Olsi Jazexhiu, who provided a comprehensive overview of the Palestinian issue. In his speech, he made a recollection of events from the Balfour Declaration of 1917 to the Abraham Accords of 2020, by providing key insights that have shaped the conflict.

The event also had presentations by Dr. Olsi’s students, all majoring in History and Civilisation, Nur Arinna Dania Binti Asmawi, Nor Alya Batrisyia Binti Mohamad Hezri and Durrah Baiduri Binti Zairi. They delved into the topic, “The Abraham Accords,” delineating the normalization of Arab states with Israel and their abandonment of the Palestinian issue.

Furthermore, Hamidah Binti Mustapha and Izzati Binti Kamarozaman discussed, “The Axis of Resistance,” exploring the coalition of states and non state actors (Iran, Syria, Yemen, Iraqi militias, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Palestenianmilitant groups) who organized a coalition for the liberation of Palestine. While Maryam Khan, Daniya Afroz and Aida Munirah Binti Suliman shed light on“Israeli Apartheid,“ emphasizing the systemic discrimination by the Israelis in Palestine via territorial control, resource domination and suppression of the rights of Palestenian people.

Furthermore, Dr. Olsi wrapped off the academic session with his gripping lecture on recent events, from the 7 October 2023 escalation in Gaza with genocide taking place to the Syrian government’s collapse on 8 December 2024.

The event also witnessed a guest speaker, a former U.S. Marine, Gulf War veteran, and Palestinian activist, Kenneth Nicolas O’Keefe known for leading the Human Shield Action to Iraq comprising Westerners who were asked to migrate to Iraq in 2002 to become human shields, and his activism and involvement in the Gaza flotilla raid aboard MV Mavi Marmara in 2010, O’Keefe shared his knowledge and experiences. He recalled how he became a staunch supporter of Palestinian rights. The audience found great resonance in his anecdotes, especially those concerning his time serving as a human shield in Iraq.

The event concluded with a photography session, signifying the successful execution of the event that not only increased awareness about the Palestenian issues but also served as a forum for scholarly discussion of past and present geopolitical events.

This event necessisted the global need to encourage and make students aware of the pressing and the global issue by reminding them the importance of comprehending historical contexts in order to address the ongoing crises in Palestine and Syria.***