On September 5, 1964, Malcolm X had a two-day trip to Gaza Strip which was under the Egyptian control at that time. During this two-day trip, Malcolm, while visiting Khan Yunis refugee camp and a local hospital, met and talked with the local people and elite in Gaza.
God's spirit in Gaza
The most effective of these meetings was his sudden and unplanned visit with the famous Palestinian poet, "Harun Hashem Rashid". During the visit, Rashid described his memories of the horrendous experience of Suez crisis a decade earlier and murdering of hundreds of Palestinians by the Israeli army. X was very impressed with hearing these memories. His daily memoirs indicate his admiration for Rashid's poems.
X had meetings with religious leaders in Gaza and performed congregational prayers with them. He has written in his memories that he felt Rouhollah (God's spirit) seriously in Gaza.
Secret colonialism
The trip of this human rights activist to Gaza inspired him to write his most famous article on Zionism. "Zionist Logic" which was published on September 17, 1964 on a famous Egyptian newspaper, raised severe criticisms against Zionism and considered Zionism a threat not just for Palestine but beyond that. Malcom X wrote in the article:
"Zionists believe that they have successfully concealed and camouflaged their new colonialism and demonstrated it as "more benevolent" and "more humanitarian". In their ruling system, they control their potential victims merely with apparently friendly proposals under the title of economic aids or other alluring gifts.
On one hand, the economy of the newly independent African countries is facing big problems. Therefore, the dominance and interference of Israel in many of these African countries is more than even the European colonist powers of the 18th century. Although the new Zionist colonialism is different in form and method, it has not changed in motive and goal at all."
Here Malcolm X, referring to the similarities of Israel and European colonialists, mentions the destructions of their measures during the past centuries all over the Third World. In his opinion, Zionism is closely related with the European colonialism. To confront this widespread colonialism, Malcolm called on the leaders and people of the world to get united and reject the false proposals of colonialists.
Concern for Africa
In another event, the General Director of Geneva Islamic Center sent 9 questions to Malcolm X about "life, faith and hope in future" and the latter gave exact and clear answers to them. The answer to the last question was written on February 21, 1965, which is said to be the final writing of X and an evidence to his universal view and the threat that he felt for the entire world from Israel.
Question: It seems that Africa has concerned you, why? And as you have traveled to nearly every part of this continent, where do you think is the place of Islam? In your opinion, what can be done to save Islam both from the measures taken by some non-scholarly claimants and the conspiratorial unity of Zionism, atheism and religious prejudices?
Answer: I consider Africa as my ancestral land. First of all, I like to see it completely devoid of the political and economic intervention of the foreigners who have dominated it and are exploiting it. Africa, owing to its strategic situation, is facing a serious crisis. Colonialists will not abandon this continent without war and clash and their main trick in ruling is to forge discord among nations. For instance, an anti-Asian sentiment is created among the people of the Eastern Africa. In the same way, there is a severe anti-Arab sentiment in West Africa. Wherever there are Arabs or Asians, there is a severe hostility against Muslims. These hostilities have not been created by the people who are involved in them. At the moment, they do not gain the least profit from these differences and clashes. It is the lords of former colonialism (and new Zionism) who gain the most profit from discord.
In the current struggle for our mother continent (Africa), Zionists have taken the lead from all profiteering groups. They arrive with the benevolent and humanitarian mask which makes it hard to realize and distinguish their intentions and plots for victims.
As the image of the Arab community is (almost) inseparable from the image of Islam, the Arab world has a multivalent responsibility that it should fulfill.
Islam, the religion of brotherhood
Islam is the religion of brotherhood and unity and those who pioneer to clarify this divine religion should themselves be the highest role model of brotherhood and unity. It is essential for Cairo and Mecca (Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and Global Union of Muslims) to form a religious summit and show more concern and responsibility towards the status quo in the Islamic world.
Otherwise, forces from among young and foresighted Muslims will rise up and take the power centers from their present owners. God is able to do this easily.
A few hours after writing this answer, Malcolm X, 39, was assassinated and martyred at Audubon Ballroom of New York.
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