Sumud Fleet activists İkbal Gürpınar and Umut Aslan, who set out to draw attention to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and to break the blockade, met with IZU students.
The program “Sumud Experiences from the Travelers of Resistance,” organized by Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University’s Ahdimiz Kudüs Platform, was held at the Abdullah Tivnikli Conference Hall. The event featured Sumud activists İkbal Gürpınar and Umut Aslan as speakers and was attended by IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Nihat Erdoğmuş, faculty members, and students.
ACAR: “THE ISLAMIC WORLD IS THE TARGET OF THE WEST”
Opening the discussion, IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar highlighted that with the collapse of the bipolar world in the 1990s, the West set its sights on the Islamic world. Acar noted that despite the difficulties faced, the Sumud Fleet represented a very important initiative and thanked all activists who risked their lives on this dangerous journey. He continued:
“Zionist Israel continues its attacks despite the ceasefire, and its patrons openly maintain their support. Over two billion Muslims have not gone beyond merely observing what has happened over the past two years. Our country has certain initiatives, many of which remain out of the public eye; however, they are not sufficient. This is because the ummah has not achieved unity.”
GÜRPINAR: “I DID NOT HESITATE WHEN I WAS INVITED TO JOIN SUMUD”
Television host and author İkbal Gürpınar, who described herself as a mufti’s daughter and an imam hatip high school graduate, admitted that she became well-informed about Palestine, Jerusalem, and Al-Aqsa later in life. She shared her memories from trips to Palestine and her Sumud experience. Gürpınar asked participants: “How can you tell if a country is free?”
She explained that Palestinians who have no army, currency, industry, or travel rights derive their freedom from their strong faith. Reflecting on her invitation to join the Sumud Fleet, she said: “A few weeks earlier, I had broken my shoulder, and my arm was in a sling. Yet I did not hesitate to participate. My only question was: ‘Will they accept me?’ We were supposed to depart the next day, but we were held in Tunisia for 13 days. Our captains were threatened, their licenses revoked, and our ships sabotaged. On the day of departure, only 13 of 50 ships could set sail. Everyone had a single goal: to break the blockade.”
ASLAN: “DON’T LET GAZA FALL OFF YOUR AGENDA”
Businessman and Sumud activist Umut Aslan said that a new path of resistance has emerged over the past two years. He explained that the Gaza resistance marked a turning point in his life, noting that he has been to Jerusalem twice in the last two years and now divides his life into “before Jerusalem” and “after Jerusalem.” Pointing to Türkiye’s important role in the struggles of Palestinians and other oppressed peoples, Aslan advised young people:
“Do not let Gaza fall off your agenda. Make space for one more file in your daily schedule and name it ‘Jerusalem and Gaza.’ Pass on this cause which you support today to your children as well.”