THE recent surge in brutal violence by Israeli forces against the Palestinians has left the sane minds shell-shocked. Such brutal acts of relentless terror compel one to draw a few conclusions. The most obvious one of them all is the fact that the Palestinians have been left high and dry by the neighbouring Arab states. They have been deserted by the Muslim world. They have been abandoned by the international community at large. They have been left on their own by human rights watchdogs. They have been left in the lurch both by the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Left to fight their own fight, the Palestinians have become homeless in their own homeland.

What does it mean? It means the states that resumed or established diplomatic ties with the Zionist entity have legitimised the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. And, what does that mean? It means might is right. It means Israel has been given the licence to rain as many bombs on Palestine as it wishes in order to reduce the Palestinian territories into nothing more than rubble. It means the rule of jungle is still in vogue as far as Palestine-Israeli tensions go. It means the stones, the sticks and the slings are no match to missiles and highly sophisticated weaponry. It means if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

It means the entire world has manoeuvred with Israel to wipe out Palestine from the face of the planet. It means the cries of the Palestinians are falling on deaf ears.

Condemning Israeli barbarism against Palestinians will not suffice. Only paying lip service and slamming Israeli atrocities against the hapless Palestinians cannot heal the wounds of those who have lost their near and dear ones in the struggle to win back their own homeland.

The countries that are backing Israel, especially the United States, must review their policies to resolve the Palestine conundrum. The so-called ‘peace pact’, termed the ‘Deal of the Century’, has done incalculable harm to the Palestine cause.

It is time the regional countries, the Islamic world and the super powers gave a shut-up call to Israel and warned the hawkish elements to refrain from stoking the flames of war, and stopped the Jewish state from perpetrating further violence.

Muhammad Fayyaz Nawrha

Mianwali

(2)

RECENT unprovoked attacks by Isreal on Gaza have moved the entire world. The pictures of massacre of Palestinian children on social media are unbearable to watch. On the one hand, the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and other human rights entities are trying to bring equity among children belonging to the underprivileged nations and are urging these countries to adopt child protective measures, while on the other hand, most of these international bodies are silent over the mass murder of children in Palestine, Kashmir, Myanmar, Syria and other countries.

I am especially perturbed over mass-scale genocide of civilians in these areas. I consider human rights violations as the worst possible crime against humanity witnessed in this millennium. The mental, emotional and physical health issues of children and adolescents in war zones around the world present a matter of utmost trepidation for medical scientists and researchers, as this will perpetuate future violence. The entire world will have to pay for it one day.

As a supporter of children’s rights, I would like to voice serious concern on this issue and request the UN and international community to raise their voices to stop these brutalities immediately, and to synergise their efforts towards the attainment of equitable future for these children, and take all possible measures to protect children and innocent civilians from this carnage.

Prof (Dr) Aisha Mehnaz

Karachi

(3)

THE attack by Israeli security forces against the Palestinians while the latter were offering prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque is a shameful act. Hundreds were left wounded in that single incident alone.

Many were hit by rubber bullets and shelling while offering prayers inside the mosque. The international community must take notice of this brutality; otherwise this episode will surely have dire consequences.

Tariq Nawaz Junejo

Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2021