The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, the umbrella group representing the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe, has issued a statement Gaza accusing Israel of “terrorizing civilians” According to the statement:
The Israeli war machine continues to do its deed, inflicting death, devastation, siege, and starvation on the people of Gaza and the West Bank. All this, despite well-publicised and repeated worldwide appeals by non-governmental, as well as official and State bodies, to the Israeli side to halt its policy of terrorising civilians, which has crossed all limits, and can no longer be borne in silence. Yet, never before have we witnessed such tacit complicity in repression by the free world, as we see today epitomised by the disgraceful blockade of the people of Gaza. …acting ever the spoilt child, the protégé of the powerful nations in the world today brazenly disregards all these appeals, and continues its racist and inhumane policies, ignoring the world’s free conscience. Such a situation compels any person with the modicum of decency, compassion, or humanity to cry out loud: No to the starvation and killing of the people of Gaza! No to the deafening silence in the face of the occupation’s crimes! No to treating the occupier as though above all international laws and conventions!
A recent NEFA Foundation report has identified FIOE as an arm of the global Muslim Brotherhood which is also intimately related to Hamas.
The NEFA report also documents the problematic record of FIOE with respect to terrorism. While tacitly condemning the 911 attacks, along with most of the global Muslim Brotherhood, FIOE leaders have been supportive of terrorism in other areas:
- Youssef Qaradawi, the head of the FIOE European Council for Fatwa and Research, is known for his fatwas supporting terrorism in Israel and Iraq.
- Ahmed Al-Rawi, the long-time former head of FIOE, has also made statements supporting terrorism in Israel and Iraq.
- Both Qaradawi and Al-Rawi are Trustees of the Union of Good, the worldwide coalition of charities raising funds for Hamas that was recently designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.
- FIOE has issued effusive statements of praise for the Ahmed Yassine, the late spiritual leader of Hamas killed by Israel.
The NEFA report also identifies areas of interaction between FIOE member organizations and jihadi networks.