DAVAO CITY — Mohagher Iqbal, Vice Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Chairman of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel, delivered the keynote address at the National Solidarity Conference for Palestine and Call for Peace in the Middle East, held in Davao City on Thursday.

In his address, Iqbal opened by noting that digital communication has transformed how the world witnesses the Palestinian crisis, with people now able to follow developments in Gaza, Iran, and the broader Middle East in real time through social media. He cited the recently announced fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States as one such development being monitored globally.

Iqbal called the Palestinian struggle a defining moment for the world community. He described the situation in Gaza as a "collective crime," pointing to the United Nations Special Rapporteur's findings that the ongoing genocide in Gaza is sustained by the complicity of influential states that have provided direct support, material aid, diplomatic protection, and in some cases active participation in violations of international law.

Despite this, Iqbal urged those present not to despair. "Never in the history of the world do we see an outpouring of support from millions of people all over the world rallying to end the occupation in Palestine, stop the genocide and conclude the war in the Middle East," he said.

Solidarity as Shared Responsibility

At the heart of his address was an explanation of why the delegates had gathered in Davao City despite the high cost of travel and rising fuel prices. 

Iqbal described that driving force as solidarity — "the thread that binds humanity together" and "the shared responsibility that connects individuals and drives us to collective action."

For Muslims, he said, this goes even deeper. He invoked the concept of Ummah — the global Muslim community — as a spiritual bond that carries a responsibility to uphold justice, compassion, and unity.

The Bangsamoro Parallel

Iqbal drew a direct parallel between the Palestinian struggle and the decades-long Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination in Mindanao. He recalled that the Bangsamoro people did not fight alone — that the international community provided critical support and safe spaces for the MILF and the Philippine Government to negotiate the peace agreement that ended over fifty years of armed conflict.

He also recalled the all-out war in Mindanao, when over one million people were displaced and the Philippine government armed Christian communities against Muslims. He praised the bishops and ulama who openly resisted that strategy and called on all communities not to be used against their own neighbors. He credited interreligious solidarity among Muslims, Christians, and Indigenous Peoples as a decisive factor in keeping the Bangsamoro peace process alive.

"Let us not confuse solidarity with the Palestinian cause to be equivalent to anti-semitism," Iqbal emphasized.

A Message of Hope

Drawing on his seventeen years as Chief Negotiator of the MILF, Iqbal expressed confidence that peace would eventually prevail in Palestine. "It is a very complex and intractable conflict but I have no doubt peace will eventually triumph in the land of Palestine," he said.

He closed by citing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose words he described as capturing the spirit of Palestinian resilience — that no matter the depth of suffering, the will to live and survive cannot be broken, and that the flag of Palestine will fly high.

A Call to Act

Iqbal ended his address with a direct challenge to all conference delegates. He called on participants to move beyond rhetoric and commit, over the two days of the conference, to concrete and meaningful projects that would bring real relief to the people of Gaza — particularly orphans and children bearing the deepest scars of the crisis.

He also appealed to delegates to extend help to Palestinian refugees already living in the Philippines, urging every act of generosity and humanitarian assistance.

"Solidarity is not just mere rhetorics but a responsibility," he said. "It calls upon each of us to act, to give, and to stand with purpose."

He closed with a reflection of faith: "In the end, when all is said and done, we anchor ourselves with our firm belief that there is one Almighty Allah, the Best Planner, guiding us toward a greater wisdom and a better outcome for all."