During your recent visit to South Africa, you made a powerful statement: "Do you know how offensive it is to the people in Gaza when they see us fighting over petty issues and channelling our energy against each other instead of their oppressor." While your words may have resonated with many, they bring us to a critical point that cannot be overlooked: Are you aware of the hypocrisy in your own actions, and do you stand by them?
You were a guest at an event sponsored by Standard Bank—an institution with clear ties to the very oppressors you publicly condemned. Standard Bank, whose sponsorship you gladly accepted, is partly owned by BlackRock and the Vanguard Group—two companies heavily implicated in supplying arms to Israel, which are used in the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people.
You accuse others of focusing on "petty issues" while you, yourself, are benefiting from the very system that sustains the oppression of Gaza. The truth is, you and your hosts in South Africa are directly linked to the entities that profit from this oppression. While you stand at the podium decrying the actions of Israel, you are financially aligned with those who fund their war machine.
The hypocrisy is glaring. You choose to speak out against the oppressors, but your words lose all meaning when you are sponsored by the conduits of their power. BlackRock and Vanguard, both amongst the top 25 shareholders in Standard Bank, are responsible for funding the weapons used in attacks on Gaza, contributing to the deaths and suffering of innocent civilians. By accepting their sponsorship, you and your hosts are indirectly supporting the very system you claim to fight against.
But the hypocrisy goes even further—you are actively promoting other Muslims to deal with this very bank, to invest with them, and to engage in business with them. You are not only accepting sponsorship from the oppressors, but you are duping your own community into supporting them as well. How can you, in good conscience, call for justice for Gaza while encouraging others to invest their money and trust in an institution that is directly connected to the oppression of its people? This is a serious and dangerous hypocrisy—you are effectively leading others to financially support the very entities that perpetuate the suffering of Gaza.
Let me make this clear: unlike you, we who you say are "channelling our energy against each other instead of their oppressor" do not align ourselves with the very entities that fund them. We do not accept sponsorship from those who profit from the misery of the Palestinian people. We do not, with one hand, call for justice for Gaza, while with the other, collect the profits that fuel its oppression. If we do not channel our energy against people like yourself and those you associate with, then the hypocrisy will remain hidden to the very people you claim to represent and support.
In June 2024, UN experts explicitly warned BlackRock and Vanguard to stop their arms transfers to Israel, citing their complicity in war crimes. Vanguard, despite being invited to respond, chose to remain silent, further implicating them in the perpetuation of this violence. BlackRock and Vanguard are not mere bystanders—they are active participants, using their financial influence to support the war efforts against Gaza.
BlackRock:
https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2024/06/21/blackrock-among-scores-of-entities-warned-by-un-experts-to-stop-arms-transfers-to-israel
https://peoplesforum.org/blog_post/blackrock-funds-genocide-against-palestinians/
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240625-blackrock-there-can-be-no-compromise-with-evil/
Both these companies are also clearly named in the ensuring genocide report:
https://www.alhaq.org/cached_uploads/download/2025/03/11/ensuring-genocide-report-1741690872.pdf
So, Dr. Omar, we ask you: How can you stand in front of a crowd, lecturing others about fighting over "petty issues," when you have chosen to ignore the glaring contradiction in your own actions? How can you call for justice for Gaza while being sponsored by the very entities that fund the destruction of its people?
Your hypocrisy is not only offensive, it is deeply troubling. It is time for you to reflect on the consequences of your actions and whether you are truly committed to justice, or merely paying lip service while lining the pockets of those who oppress the very people you claim to defend.
A warning to those who visit your lectures: Be cautious and critical of the sweet words you hear in support of Gaza. Do not be swayed by rhetoric when the actions do not align. Those who truly care for Gaza do not sit at the table with its oppressors.
Sincerely,
Those who are channeling their energy against the deceivers of the ummah so that the ummah can see beyond their sweet words and false claims.
