The sufferings of Palestinian must be addressed as a priority

While the whole world has focused on Ukraine, thousands of Jewish settlers marched to Homesh in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces injured at least 40 Palestinian protesters after thousands of Israeli Jewish settlers marched to the evacuated settlement outpost of Homesh, near Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Parts of the Nablus-Jenin highway were closed to Palestinian traffic as a result of the march. Settlers departed from the settlement of Shavei Shomron, northwest of Nablus, on buses. The Israeli army had said before the event that it would protect the settlers, having initially warned settlers not to proceed for security reasons.

Palestinians in Burqa said the march was a dangerous provocation and was part of an effort to expand and strengthen settlement building in the West Bank. They have seen similar moves in the past and all of them ended in occupation finally. Since the creation of the state of Israel, it kept on expanding and grabbing Arab lands by force.

In 1948, Israel had only 806,000 people, but experienced a 10-fold population increase by 2013, and kept on increasing gradually. To cater hosing for a growing population, Israeli forces grabbed Arab land and settled new settlers. The son of the soil, Palestinians are forced to leave their homes, and land and live in refugees camps a miserable life or immigrate to other countries and spend the rest of their lives as asylum seekers.

This practice is ongoing since 1948, after passing 75 years, four generations of Palestinian, the International Community, and the UN failed to resolve it. There are several resolutions on Palestine granting them a sovereign state, protection of their legitimate rights, and condemning Israel on open violations of Human rights, the UN Charter, and all norms of the civilized world. But, to date, there is no influence on Israeli policies of continued expansion and barbaric acts against humanity. The worst atrocities and brutalities have not reached to end yet.

The unconditional support of the US and its allies has encouraged Israel to continue its practices of expansion and grabbing Arab land. Human rights organizations failed to protect the Palestinians. The UN resolutions were not effective to stop Israel from barbarism. The International community seems helpless in the face of the aggressive policies of the Jewish state. 

The US has been bailing out Israel in case of any pressure on Israel, even, exercising veto power to protect Israel. Although there exists a community, which feels that Israel is the aggressor and violates the UN Charter and human rights, the state policy is to protect Israel under all circumstances.

The West’s approach to Ukraine is very different and visible discrimination is witnessed. Palestine and Kashmir are suffering for almost 75 years, but little has been done to protect them. Whereas in the case of Ukraine, the whole West is active and trying to do everything possible to save it.

Thousands of Muslims were killed in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan, but, the West’s cool response was seen. Millions were injured and so many suffered lifetime disabilities, but, the Western world became a silent spectator merely. Millions of Muslims were made homeless, forced to live in refugees camps or to take asylum in other countries, and sped the rest of their lives in misery. The West has not bothered to take care of them.

It is urged that the same standards should be practiced in dealing with the Muslim world, which is already taken for Ukraine. Human beings are all equal, any discrimination based on race, religion, culture, color, ethnicity, nationality, etc. is not accepted in the civilized world.

It is strongly urged that Palestinian, Kashmiri, issues must be addressed on similar lines to Ukraine. They are not the people of a lesser God. One day, all responsible will be held accountable in front of God. Muslim blood is not cheaper. Black lives matter, Muslim lives matter, Ukrainian lives matter, in fact, all lives matter.

Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.