Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network participated in the Rawafed al-Afnan Cultural Organization’s fourth annual scientific conference in Baghdad, Iraq, on 20 December 2025, under the slogan “Al-Aqsa Flood: Remembrance and Continuation.” Samidoun’s international coordinator, Charlotte Kates, presented a paper at the conference, which was widely attended by religious scholars, academics, political figures and media representatives from Iraq, the broader Arab region and internationally.
Among others, the conference was attended by the representative of Imam Khamenei, His Eminence Ayatollah Sayyed Mujtaba al-Husseini; Dr. Osama Hamdan, a leader in Hamas, Islamic Resistance Movement; Dr. Taher al-Nunu, media advisor to the head of the Hamas political bureau; and Qasim al-Araji, the Iraqi national security advisor. Several other official and diplomatic figures were also present, including the ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as media figures, intellectuals, and youth representatives from various Iraqi provinces. Researchers and academics from Canada, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq also participated in the conference.
Charlotte Kates presented a comprehensive research paper that addressed “The International Popular Cradle of Resistance and the Impact of the Al-Aqsa Flood on Solidarity Movements with Palestine,” which focused on the irrevocable changes to the world made by Al-Aqsa Flood, emphasized the significant growth not only in outrage at “Israel” and its genocide but also support for the resistance in Palestine and throughout the region, noted the role of the U.S. and Western imperialist powers in the genocide as well as in state repression to target this growing movement, and called for international action and mobilization to confront the attempts to “disarm” the resistance militarily, politically and intellectually in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Iran and beyond.
She concluded, “This campaign seeks to render the Palestinian people defenseless, while allowing the Zionist entity to retain and expand its military capacity, nuclear arsenal, and unchecked license to wage war. International solidarity must therefore become a counter-force to this disarmament project. Our task internationally is to become—through organization, clarity and action—popular weapons for the Resistance.”
Scholars and academics Dr. Ali Hamieh, Dr. Omar Hamed, Nour Ali and Harith Ali also delivered papers addressing various aspects of Al-Aqsa Flood and the strategic perspective for the future. The presentation of research was directed by Dr. Bushra al-Zuwaini, head of the Scientific Committee of the Rawafed Organization conference.
In his speech at the conference, Mohammed al-Hamad, president of the Rawafed Organization, reviewed the role of the Al-Aqsa Flood in uniting the peoples of the world, and emphasized that a strong, just future for Iraq requires a focus on the Palestinian cause: “The enemy creates death to expand, while resistance creates life so that the region can rise with sovereignty, dignity, and prosperity,” he noted.
Sayyed Mujtaba al-Husseini, representative of Iman Khamenei, emphasized the need to unify efforts to confront the challenges ahead, noting the pivotal role of Al-Aqsa Flood in opening a new moment for unity and struggle towards victory.
Dr. Osama Hamdan emphasized that study, research and knowledge are important in charting the paths forward in the next stage, noting that the resistance continues and the Al-Aqsa Flood continues, until liberation, as the resistance will not abandon its goals in the face of an enemy of humanity.
The conference concluded with the presentation of honors to the sons of the martyrs Abu Baqir al-Saadi and Imad Mughniyyeh. The participating researchers were honored for their intellectual contributions with awards featuring the image of Palestinian leader Yahya Sinwar at the iconic moment of his martyrdom confronting occupation forces in Gaza.
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