A large number of academics and intellectual from Pakistan, India and Kashmir condemned the atrocities committed by Israeli forces against civilian Palestinians and termed it as a continuation of colonial period. Israeli attacks that left hundreds killed and thousands wounded along with the loss of millions of dollars of already fragile Palestine’s economy. Renowned Novelists Uzma Aslam Khan, US-based Writer and translator Moazam Sheikh, Novelist and international law expert Osama Siddique, Political Scientist and intellectual Khuwaja Alqama,Vice-Chanelcellor University of Jhang Dr Shahid Munir,Editor and writer Mehvash Amin, Srinagar based scholar Dr Shaukat Hussain alumni Aligarh University, Writer and intellectual Dr Ashraf Lone (alumni JNU,Delhi), Researcher and intellectual Dr Bushra Shaukat (Islamia University of Bahawalpur), Maafia Mukhtar(Qarshi University) condemned the imperial forces and lamented the lack of action from world community. Uzma Aslam Khan keep posting images showing the devastion and destruction caused by the Israeli attacks while Moazam Sheikh spoke to The Prelude to share his concern over grave violations of human rights and continuation of apartheid in Palestine. Sheikh,who has authored highly acclaimed “The Idol Lover and Other Stories” condemned the violence in terms of very direct references to colonial project and it’s modern manifestations,
“ The daily attacks on Palestinians inside Al-Aqsa or elsewhere in Palestine are a natural outcome of colonialism, apartheid, and racist mindset, which zionism provides a fertile ground for. It is time to do away with the destructive and inhuman ideology of racist supremacy.”
Pakistani novelist and international law Osama Siddique expert also condemned the violence in strict terms but also lamented the lack of strength and courage in world bodies.The author of Snuffing Out the Moon also emphasized the need of practical solution of this long-standing issue.
Mehvash Amin,who edits The Alph Review,also expressed solidarity with the victims of Israeli acts. Aamin spoke to The Prelude to share her sentiments and pointed out the difference between Judaism and Zionism. Mehvash also tried to invoke the history,
“Even if you control your knee-jerk reaction to the aggression and look at the longer historical view, you are saddened. Jews were so intrinsically part of Muslim Andalusia that they accompanied the Muslims when they left. Colonial settler Britain ‘gifted’ a country to Zionists, who were atheists and had nothing to do with the ‘promised land’ scenario. Then a European power massacred 6 million Jews, and how does the Apartheid state of Israel react just 70 odd years after the Holocaust? By massacring the people whose country they have stolen. David the Jew slung a stone at Goliath to fell him. Now the hapless Palestinians are throwing stones at the mighty Israelis. And these new Goliaths are aided by Christian superpowers. American evangelists believe that only when Israel is under the Jews will Christ come to Earth for a second time. The whole thing is so skewed, so ridiculous that if the situation didn’t exist and someone invented all this for a piece of fiction, it would beggar belief.”
Ex Ambassador and Vice-Chancellor Dr Khuwaja Alqama also condemned the imperial forces and also deplored the inaction of Muslim world. Khuwaja,who is a political scientist, tried to deconstruct the subject in context of global resistance.
“De-constructing the problematics of Arabs predeciment.Power politics is a complex game.Power is a concept difficult to define. A good example is the US withdrawal from Vietnam. US with all it’s military might found it self helpless before the culture of resistance in Vietnam. Next contemporary example is Soviet defeat in Afghanistan. Power politics is a complex game.”
Dr Shahid Muneer,vice-chancellor University of Jhang,called it a bleeding wound and criticized USA and western world for their complacency in this crime.
“This is a bleeding wound. All Muslim countries should develop a response. Neighboring countries should provide help to Palestinians. We should condemn the stance of USA on this issue. We should expose the unfair support of USA and west to Israel to their people through media. So that pressure should come on the Governments. We ,the Muslim countries, should invest in science and technology to compete the Israel and his supporters.”
Pakistani poet Shahid Imtiaz also stood with the cause of Palestinians and dedicated his poem Immortal City to the Palestinians. Dr Bushra Shaukat,who is an assistant professor in The Islamia University,also condemned the violence and called for unity among Muslim world. Maafia Mukhtar, a linguist and researcher, also showed her commitment with Palestinian cause and condemned the violence in strict terms.
