As expected, the resultant press coverage of the visit was minimal, derisive and biased "Religious Bigots" and "Khomeni followers" were just two of the descriptions used by the "free" press. However, the delegation returned to the UK confident and encouraged that the Muslims of Palestine had found renewed strength in their faith, Islam. Moreover, the members of the delegation believe that the Zionist government and its supporters know this and have targeted Islam as the real enemy. This is not merely a conflict between Jew/Zionist and Arab; the minute the Zionists expropriated land from the Palestinians, this became a matter of concern for Muslims all over the world. Allah, may He be praised and glorified, says in the Qur'an:

"Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they (believers) have been wronged, and surely, Allāh is Able to give them (believers) victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: "Our Lord is Allāh." - For had it not been that Allāh checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allāh is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allāh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allāh is All-Strong, All-Mighty." (Qur'an 22:39-40)

The problem is clearly, then, a Muslim problem. Two events confirm the fact that the Zionist government are fighting against Islam and Muslims, nit just the Palestinians. This appears openly in the firing of tear - gas into the Masjid Al - Aqsa mentioned earlier. this masjid is mentioned by its name by Allah in the Qur'an (Sura 17 aya 1) - so an attack against it is an explicit attack on the very basis of Islam.

In the second instance, the delegation itself was a witness to this fact when it was stopped by an army patrol when returning from Galilee. Apart from being insulted by the soldiers ("You are all the sons of prostitutes") which demonstrated the mental capacity of the office in charge, the group had Islamic tapes, books and posters taken off them and destroyed and trampled on before their eyes. The 'secular' possessions of the delegation were ignored. Add these events to the restrictions placed exclusively on Islamic societies and charities, and the actual intentions of the Israeli government become very clear indeed.

Despite this, the faith of the Palestinian Muslims is strong and growing and provides a fine example for Muslims to follow.

the injustices and excesses of the Zionist regime have been laid bare for all the world to see but the hypocrisy of American politicians scrambling for votes and the support of the Jewish Lobby and the cut - backs on press freedom in the troubled area clearly point to a cover - up on the way. The so - called Holocaust is oft - cited as the raison d'etre for the existence of the Zionist state as a "Jewish homeland" and yet here we are, only 40 years later, with those who were persecuted at the hands of the Nazis now in the role of persecutors. the world cannot, and must not, just sit back and allow this evil oppression to continue.

The delegation of British Muslims believes that only by a real return to their faith, so that Jews in Palestine are Jews by religion and action, not just by belonging, can a solution ever be found. The events in Palestine break many of the Judaic commandments; since the Promised Land was given to the Children of Israel on condition of their good behaviour in following God's Laws, today's Jews can no longer justify their position.

Historically, and practically, Islam is more tolerant of Judaism (and Christianity) - the reverse cannot be said to be true. Only under the banner of Islam will the holy land of the Prophets be free for all to live and practice their faith in security, insh'Allah (God - willing).

The delegation calls on freedom - loving people the world over to examine their feelings concerning the Zionist state of Israel and its activities and to strive to bring about justice for the Palestinian people.