Cotabato City, June 19, 2025 — As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Member of Parliament Abdulbasit R. Benito of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has issued a powerful and urgent call for global solidarity, de-escalation, and justice, condemning recent acts of violence that threaten to plunge the region into deeper chaos.
In a privilege speech delivered before the BTA Parliament, MP Benito expressed deep alarm over Israel's recent military strike on the Islamic Republic of Iran, branding it as a “reckless provocation” and a “clear violation of international law.” For Benito, who represents a region with its own painful legacy of war and marginalization, the Middle East’s unfolding crisis is not distant—it is a reminder of the shared struggles of oppressed peoples worldwide.
> “The Bangsamoro people know the wounds of conflict,” Benito declared. “That is why we stand in unwavering solidarity with those who are oppressed—wherever they may be.”
The speech took a firm stance against the Egyptian government’s recent decision to block the People’s March to Gaza, a peaceful humanitarian initiative meant to bring aid and solidarity to the besieged Palestinian population. Benito called the move a betrayal of humanitarian principles and Islamic values.
> “Preventing aid to starving people is not neutrality—it is complicity,” he stated.
Highlighting the risk of a broader regional war, Benito appealed to the international community, urging world leaders and global institutions—including the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)—to step in swiftly and push for diplomatic resolutions. He underscored the need for immediate action before more innocent lives are lost.
The lawmaker also issued a strong rebuke of the United States’ continued military and diplomatic support for Israel, saying such actions have emboldened decades of aggression and are now threatening global peace.
> “To choose Israel’s side blindly in this moment is to choose oppression over peace, destruction over dialogue, and genocide over justice,” Benito emphasized.
Beyond condemnation, MP Benito’s speech was a call to conscience, rooted in the Bangsamoro’s own hard-won experience of peacebuilding. He reminded fellow leaders that true and lasting peace cannot be achieved without justice, dignity, and equality for all peoples.
> “Let us not allow another generation of Muslims, Jews, and Christians to suffer the consequences of failed diplomacy and unchecked aggression,” he urged.
Drawing upon verses from the Holy Qur’an, Benito emphasized the moral and spiritual obligation to uphold justice, even in the face of global silence.
> “Indeed, Allah commands justice, and the doing of good... Stand firmly for justice,” he quoted from Surah An-Nahl and Surah An-Nisa, reinforcing the ethical imperative behind his call.
In closing, Benito pledged solidarity with the people of Iran, Gaza, and all advocates of global peace.
> “Let justice rise. Let peace speak louder than war,” he concluded, his voice echoing the spirit of the Bangsamoro’s long-standing commitment to just and lasting peace.
As the international community watches developments in the Middle East unfold, voices like MP Benito’s serve as a poignant reminder: peace is not passive—it is a moral stance, a global duty, and a shared human aspiration.