As I write this entry, I feel very inspired, though distressed at the same time. Less than 24 hours ago, I complained that I feel very shallow for not knowing much about the Israel-Palestine conflict. But we've all got to start somewhere, right? I have seen before my eyes and for the first time, the sufferings of Palestinians at the Gaza strip, having attended a film screening about the Gaza Strip held by the MSA less than 2 hours ago.
I realized a long time ago that a sound education is all these side things you learn, not truly the raw Math, Econ, or science being preached in class. But this is the first time (well, the couple of times) I truly felt the magic of informational panel, screenings that goes beyond the scope of academics. Safe to say that I do not yet have the full picture per se, but at least now I won't go all glossy-eyed when I hear people talk about Zionists, Gaza strip (West Bank), Hamas, by-laws and all that.
Basically, the Zionists have been progressively pushing Palestinians out of their own rightful land since 1948 (when Israel was wrongfully established). They hide behind the facade of targeting Hamas militants (a political, yet also humanitarian group that serves its people by setting up schools, mosques; which is why they were elected) and get immense support from the American government in terms of machineries, fighter planes, weaponries. (Okay. . . so that far I knew before--to some extent--but it feels great being able to put everything together).
When they hold Gaza under siege under the claim that Hamas started bombing South of Israel first (which are makeshifts, homemade bombs, unlike the massive killers the former have), they are in fact doing what we can only call as ethnic cleansing because they kill innocent children (I saw disturbing images of children being massacred in the film), civilians, bulldoze their homes, cut down their trees and stop all forms of medicine, food and supplies in and out of the strip. As ridiculous it may sound to the rest of the world, it's amazing how the Zionists believes steadfastly that Palestine does not exist when in fact it is the other way around.
Not only are the Palestinian people suffering physically, Israel is also playing mental warfare. In the film, there was a footage on how during the second Intifada (uprise of the Palestinians), Israel dropped gas canisters containing god-knows-what-poison that rendered many into catatonic states and seizures. They trick kids by leaving glove-like looking items that contain bombs, and I personally saw the ugly remains of a boy whose life was taken by it. Worse, the media (especially US mainstream media) makes it seem that the Zionists are only doing what's best to defend their "country" from Hamas' attacks, and that Hamas is using its people as shields and they themselves are killing their own people. Absurd!
At various points in the film, the eyes could do nothing but shed tears while the heart feel pain. It was completely humbling to see how the children there learn to fight by throwing stones at the borders (where Israel has built their stone wall separating their "territory"), because that is the only way they know to defend their homeland, their family, their homes. I whine about my problems and my so called deprived childhood (which now doesn't seem like such a big deal at all) but Alhamdulillah I still turned out fine, didn't I? Tak pernah pun tak cukup makan, bapak kena masuk penjara, kena berhenti sekolah jual surat khabar and pergi baling batu dekat army yang musnahkan my home, kan? Sumpah, insaf seketika.
Furthermore, I'm blessed with the opportunity to live in a peaceful country and enjoy the things I take for granted like the freedom to walk around without fears and insecurity. I quote a boy in that film, "What is there to live for? In the end, I am nothing. I wish I could just die, because death must be better than this". At that point, I wish I could teleport into that film and shake that boy real hard and tell him not to give up because God will always makbulkan doa orang-orang yang teraniaya.
Then again, what can one youth do to help restore their faith to live and keep fighting or at least surviving? Many many organizations in the country are circulating petitions and conducting phone marathons to put pressure on the American government to end the siege in Gaza. I learned from true stories of the organizations here in Chicago that by calling government lines, the congressman's office and telling them that you care about the ongoing assault on Palestine and wants it to stop, they may give in after a few weeks to sit down and talk things out with the organization.
Note to self: You can
sign petitions calling to end this absurdity. You can attend these kinds of
informative events, learn more about it and inform more people about the cruelty that is going on, about the assault on Palestinian people. You can
read more literature on this, keep yourself informed, feel their sufferings and empathize with them. You can
donate some of that money you use to waste on Coach bags and Forever 21 clothes, Nj. Most importantly, you can consistently
pray to Allah that justice will rise above all, and strength be with the Palestinians.
Owh,
YOU can too!
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Some useful websites (organization, unbiased reads):
1.
http://ampalestine.org/ (Chicago-based organization that are organizing gigantic rallies all over the States)
2.
imeu.net (they put up credible articles from various sources)
3.
Islamic Relief (donation page)*
*taken from externalcapsule.blogspot.com. Thanks.
