By Dr. Munir El-Kassem

Muhammad Al-Durrah had a very dramatic encounter with the Angel of Death. It was captured by TV cameras and witnessed by a very large audience worldwide. His screams had fallen on deaf ears. What he could not accomplish during his life, he was able to achieve in his death. The whole world watched in horror as an Israeli solder killed him while he frantically tried to get shelter behind his father. It is impossible to imagine the agony of Muhammad’s father watching helplessly as his son fell motionless into his lap.

The tragic and horrifying ordeal of Muhammad and his father is a travesty of justice that should not go unnoticed. It is a true reflection of the brutal and systematic attempts by the Israelis to subjugate the Palestinian people. Police have hunted down men and shot them in front of their families. They have demolished houses and killed women and children. Palestinians have been denied basic services. Water supplies have been cut off as a form of punishment for continuing demonstrations and stone throwing. Young Palestinians have been held in detention, sometimes without being given food for two to three days, for indefinite periods of time. Protracted curfews have been imposed on large segments of towns, villages, and refugee camps. In short, human rights abuses have been daily occurrences for Palestinians living under Israeli rule.

Since 1967, Israel has been ignoring the Geneva Convention and every U.N. Resolution on the issue. While doing that, it continued to enjoy the backing of the so-called civilized world to execute its plans. The U.S. government has been supporting Israel politically, economically and militarily. In the United Nations the United States has stood alone, at times, beside Israel against the whole world. Over 60 percent of the land has been confiscated. Over 10,000 homes have been demolished and almost all of the water resources have been monopolized. In the last three years alone, they have killed over 800 Palestinians, wounded and maimed over 60,000 expelled scores and detained over 30,000.

Palestinians continue to be considered an irritant and a nuisance that should be suppressed. The sad part in all of this is seeing that the most forgotten casualty of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict is the truth. The Palestinians are portrayed by the provocative media as “dirty and evil,” while the Israelis enjoy the sentimental media image of “God fearing and ever-persecuted.” Perhaps we should ask ourselves the question: Does might make right?

Israel continues to receive seemingly unlimited supplies of arms and advances technology from the United States. Why is it when Pakistan or any other Muslim country acquires nuclear technology, the United States government becomes hysterical and considers it dangerous to the whole world, but when Israel acquires the same, it is considered a scientific achievement and a benefit to humankind?

The recent events that are unfolding in Palestine are anything but random. They were carefully planned. Ariel Sharon’s visit to the quarters of Al-Aqsa Mosque, accompanied by 1,000 heavily armed police troops and a helicopter gunship cannot be perceived, as some western media described it, as a “peaceable and legal action.” Sharon, well known as the mastermind of the massacre of Sabra and Shatilla, provoked the violence with the implicit approval of the Israeli government. Had it Barak, the Prime Minister, who made the visit, the accompaniment of the riot police, would have been understood. But for the leader of the government to get those privileges is a clear indication that the government had chosen him, knowing what personally he can provoke among the Palestinians, to start executing their carefully laid plans. None of those actions were random – not even the death of children and civil defense workers.

This is not the first time that an attempt has been made to violate the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Ten years ago, almost to this day, a group of religious zealots, supported by the Israeli army tried to break into Al-Aqsa Mosque. They wanted to lay the corner stone for a Jewish temple. Apprized of their plans through the media, several tens of thousands of Muslims had gathered at the Mosque to defend it against that sacrilege.

The reference by the Israeli government to Al-Aqsa Mosque, as Temple Mount constitutes a flagrant disregard for the sensitivities of the Muslims all over the world. The media’s use of such a description encourages Israel to continue its efforts to undermine this Holy Mosque and to eradicate or reduce the role of Islam and Arabs in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

After completing the occupation off the land and the ruthless subjugation of its innocent people, Israel systematically pursued a policy to desecration of the Holy Sanctuary to prepare the world for what is to follow. First, by forcefully trespassing, defiling, and burning the holy place in addition to opening fire and killing the worshippers while they were praying inside and outside of the Mosque. Secondly, by the continued excavation beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque, and thirdly, by publicizing the news of the imminent reconstruction of the Jewish Temple.

I pray to almighty Allah to guide all of us to live up to our religious commitments and stand up for the peaceful co-existence of all humanity and for the respect of each other’s beliefs and places of worship. May He help us to eradicate this irrational and immoral plot. May He bless those whom He has guided to stop the evil of defiling places of worship whether synagogues, churches, or mosques. Let us join our efforts to prevent those sacrilegious acts, for Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “Sanction is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is indeed able to give them victory.” (22:39). The Holy Qur’an bears testimony to such acts of defilement: “Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah, for had it not been for Allah’s repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down. Verily Allah helps the one who helps Him. Allah is Powerful, Almighty.” (22:40)