What do I say? What do I write? Yesterday, the Israelis murdered over 200 people in Gaza via horrific air strikes that randomly targeted security installations for Hamas, a mosque and a TV station. This was in apparent response to the firing of rockets from the Gaza strip into Israeli towns. As per Israeli’s political and arrogant leaders, the response was necessary and they had no other alternative.
Now, I can condemn and criticize this rationale, but I realize the futility of doing so. The US has blamed Hamas for the escalation and we Arabs are powerless to do anything about it while we are run by weak governments who are useless except for issuing condemnations and rhetoric. The Arab people feel the pain of the Gaza people who have been suffering atrocities for so long at the hands of the Israelis. We will express our solidarity with them and pray that the international community rushes to their aid with much needed medical supplies and the lifting of the blockade.
However, the more important thing is to point out the options for the Palestinians. They have been in peace negotiations with the Israelis for over 17 years now (ever since the Madrid Peace Talks of 1991). What has that achieved? I regret to say absolutely nothing. The Palestinian people remain under occupation with Israel restricting their access to freedom more than ever. They are in a collective prison with basic food stuff and medical equipment entering the strip only at the whim of their Israeli warden. Is this the peace of the brave or the will of the international community? What are the civilians supposed to do? The only solution is resistance, and most importantly the military type.
This is the only alternative that Palestinians are faced with. After all, peace was given many chances to flourish. Numerous times the Arab regimes expressed the will to have peace with Israel which has always been neglected. Israel continues to show its aggression via negotiating everything and continuing with its expansion of settlements. This is not acceptable and has placed the Palestinians in a catch 20/20 situation.
Thus, if we are doomed to suffer, then let us do it with dignity. We will continue to resist the Israeli colonial power forever. Just because we do not have the military power to successfully resist does not mean that we have to accept it. The world community can help us in this endeavor or continue to turn a blind eye to Israeli encroachment and aggression. I do not really care!
God bless Palestine, the martyrs, and all people with a conscience! May we have victory or at least die trying to achieve freedom. Nothing is more important.
1 comment:
still proud to be an arab?!
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