Shaheer Ahmed
The month of Ramadan is celebrated as the month of peace all around the world except in Palestine. Even during this month, they have to face the brutality of the Israeli forces. Occupation is one thing but testing your force on the occupants does that sound sane to you? On many accounts, we have been a witness to the brutalities of Israel but the world has apparently turned a blind eye to the Palestinian plight. The recent attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque is another brutal event showing that the 55 years of violence against Palestinians continues to date.
Attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa Mosque has been a bone of contention between Israel and Palestine. Since the Israeli force’s occupation of East Jerusalem and West Bank, Palestinians have had to fight the Israeli forces to protect their holy sites and their territory, Al-Aqsa is the Muslim’s third holiest site. The Jews claim that underneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque, once stood Temple Mount. “Jerusalem is perhaps the number one issue that has the potential of triggering wide-scale violence.” The violence escalates even more during the month of Ramadan because the month coincides with the festivals of Easter and Passover.
Back in May 2021, the violence erupted which carried on for 11 days. During the incident, 13 people in Israel and 250 Palestinians in Gaza were killed. Now in April 2022, again violence has surfaced in East Jerusalem. The Israelian forces were reported to have forcefully entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the morning prayers. The Israelian forces opened fire on the Muslims offering prayers in the Mosque. Around 300-400 were injured during the incident and were moved to the nearby hospitals. The Israelian forces were met with retaliation by the people present at the venue.
International Response
The incident incited anger abroad. Many Muslim countries condemned the Israeli force’s attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Egypt and Jordan also condemned the attack. Jordan with the custodian rights over the holy site along with the Palestinian Authority released a joint statement blaming Israel for escalating the situation. The statement marked this event as “a dangerous and condemnable escalation that threatens to explode the situation.”
The Palestinian presidency called out the international community to take action against Israeli aggression. The Presidency said that it will not allow the Jewish settlers and Israel to occupy our holy sites.
Illegal Occupation
Though the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem and West Bank was worldwide condemned and was seen as illegal action the world at large did nothing instead of criticizing Israel. In the recent developments, the Jewish settlers are given 16,500 building permits in West Gaza while Palestinians are allotted just 33 building permits. This is how Israel is gradually taking over the territories owned by Palestinians.
Rise Of Indian Atrocities – 21st Century Secular State
The international community needs to wake up otherwise the whole world will plunge into anarchy. Where human rights violations will be frequent and power acquisition will be the only thing people will fight for.
