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The Plight of Gaza - A Message to the World
10-24-2023
Human suffering in the world, an unfortunate reality, is as old as human existence on this Earth. However, at times, there have been dark periods of persecution throughout history that the core of humanity itself is deeply ashamed of. At the dawn of the modern era, it was hoped to bring some relief to our bleeding humanity. But alas, at the turn of the twentieth century, two great world wars, the tragic genocide of European Jews, and the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims shattered this dream.
The current carnage of Gaza and the ongoing genocidal agenda being implemented by Israel is another shameful chapter of history that has brought various painful memories to life about previous genocides.
The genocide waged by Israel on Gaza is one-sided. One side is the occupier, and the other side is the occupied. The first group consists of defenseless civilians, and the other side comprises the heavily militarized Israeli Army. The occupiers, the state of Israel, are technologically equipped and advanced, funded by the United States, and socioeconomically efficient. The occupied are impoverished Palestinians who have been economically suppressed for decades, denied basic human rights, and denied human necessities, such as food, water, shelter, medicine, etc. On one side, there are more than two million people caged and confined within a tiny strip of land. On the other side of the spectrum is the barbaric Zionist apartheid regime that usurped their land. Palestinians don’t have any political power that is strong enough to advocate for their legitimate rights, whereas Israel has the ultimate sympathy from the Western world. Moreover, Israel has one of the strongest lobbies in the US that frequently uses its UN Security Council veto and other diplomatic channels to endorse Israel’s genocidal agenda in Palestine.
To further exacerbate the current situation, Western powers have lent their unconditional support to Israel, in the name of self-defense, which continues its relentless bombardment targeting mostly civilians and infrastructures. The saddening reality is that the world not only sits in silence, allowing these atrocities to continue, but many countries have even gone as far as to ban the ability to peacefully protest in order to speak against the violation of human rights in Palestine.
As a result, Gaza today is a place of mayhem, and its people are facing death and destruction, not knowing what awaits them next. The current genocide has already claimed nearly five thousand lives, mostly women and children. As the Israeli shelling continues, the number of casualties each hour continues to spike. Throughout all of this, the global conversation on the assault on Gaza is shifting towards the annexation of yet another historic part of Palestine by Israel.
There is hardly any doubt that Israel’s operation against Gaza is anything but humane, both in the past and present. It has violated countless human rights and committed endless war crimes in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. For example, indiscriminate bombardment on civilians, targeting hospitals, and places of worship, blocking humanitarian, and emergency aid for people in desperate need. Causing massive destruction to urban life. Dropping white phosphorus bombs that are illegal to use in war, especially in Gaza, the most densely populated area in the world. It is crucial to note that the perpetrators of these crimes today have ancestors who suffered under Hitler and the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Horrific crimes against humanity are unfolding before us on various media outlets within the international community. These powerful images have a message for us. They demand from us, as peaceful citizens and supporters of truth, to stand for the oppressed and to liberate Palestine once and for all.
Opposing aggression and denouncing crimes against humanity is the moral responsibility of all. Martin Luther King Junior once said: “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” The teachings of major religions around the world also consider this to be a religious obligation. For example:
Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. (Udanavargu, 5:18, Tibetan Dhammapada, 1983)
Christianity: Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah)
Hinduism: Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjuna, at that time, I manifest myself on earth to protect the righteous and to annihilate the wicked.” (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 7)
Judaism: Anyone who is able to protest against the transgressions of the entire world and does not is punished for the transgressions of the entire world (Shabbat:54b)
Islam: Serving justice for a day is far greater than the worship of 60 years. (Targhib wa Tarhib)
For Muslims, it is imperative to know the Holy Quran commands us to be the advocates of justice in the world irrespective of one’s personal gain or loss (Nisa/135). It is not enough that we decry the atrocities of Israel against our Muslim brothers and sisters in Gaza. We need to also act earnestly on the following pieces of advice as per each individual’s capability, in hopes that it will bring positive change to end the genocide in
Gaza, and call for Palestinian liberation.
1. Pray for Palestine, especially during the hours of Tahajjud.
2. Create public awareness about the situation in Gaza on various social media platforms by sharing real stories and images of the horrific crimes committed by the Israeli Apartheid regime.
3. Share and spread the literature about the reality of the Palestinian people with others, especially those who are ignorant of the realities.
4. Participate in all peaceful protests organized to address the issue and give a memorandum (if there is any embassy in your city) to the Israeli embassy and high commission against these crimes.
5. Boycott companies that fund Israel and products/companies from Israel.
6. Donate generously to this cause and possibly fix a monthly donation for it. Remember, each penny makes a difference in current crises.
7. If you have the ears of people in government or media, then say something about the situation. The well-known Sufi saying goes, “The one who is silent when it is time to speak the truth, is a tongueless devil.”
8. Influential figures should publicize this matter through social media channels.
9. Organizations that are specialized in the law should use their ability to file legal cases in the international court of law against Israel’s crimes
10. Visit https://www.palestinecentral.ca and take 30 seconds to send a letter to your MP and the Prime Minister asking them to call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine
11. Call the Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre at 613-992- 2772 and leave the following: “We are very angry about the situation in Gaza and the blowback our community is facing. We need you as Leader of the Opposition to raise this issue in the parliament and ask for peace and an end to the violence.”
Let us work united and do whatever is within our means to make a difference. As per the Quran, sincere efforts shall not go to waste (Surah Najm/40)
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