Tag: Israel

  • Stand for Palestine

    The UN Security Council (UNSC) welcomed the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. UNSC members also stressed “the immediate need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza.”

    According to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian death toll on Saturday stood at 248, including 66 children, with more than 1,900 people wounded from Israeli air and artillery attacks.

    Barely a few hours after the ceasefire was reached, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and used stun grenades and rubber bullets against Palestinians after Friday prayers. Journalists covering the incident were also attacked.

    Such highhandedness by Israel is nothing new. The Israelis have not just occupied land in Palestine but the atrocities committed by them against unarmed Palestinians are horrific and countless. Imagine being expelled from your homes and then also being attacked. And to add insult to injury, they are portrayed as being the aggressors instead of Israel, whom the world community says acts in so-called ‘self-defence’. How an oppressor gets away with war crimes is disturbing at so many levels.

    We have seen how the world community rallies behind Israel. While Pakistan has been consistent in raising its voice for the cause of Palestine, most Muslim countries just pay mere lip service and move on. We have not seen them stopping trade with Israel or cutting off diplomatic ties in protest. The Palestinians are on their own, it seems. But this cannot go on forever. Before social media, Israel could hide behind its false narrative of being provoked. Now the world can see actual footage of its crimes. We have seen hundreds of videos where children are scared of continuous bombing; buildings being flattened and innocent people standing on the rubble, nursing their wounds. The stories coming out of Palestine are horrific. One man said he “did the strangest thing” when he exchanged how children with his brother’s. “I took two of his children, and gave him two of mine. So in case I get bombed, one of mine will survive and if he gets bombed, one of his will live on.”

    These are not just stories; these are lived realities. We hope the Palestinians can one day find peace in their own land and not live in constant fear. These injustices must stop!

  • Despite a ceasefire, Israel ruthlessly attacks worshippers at Al-Aqsa

    Despite a ceasefire, Israel ruthlessly attacks worshippers at Al-Aqsa

    Despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which was announced early Friday morning, Israel ruthlessly attacked worshippers at Al-Aqsa during Friday prayers.

    Israel fired rubber bullets and shelled both Masjid Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock, Islam’s third holiest site.

    It is being reported that children and women have been hurt by the tear gas while praying.

    PTI’s official Twitter handle lashed out on the barbaric violence by Israel calling out their act as a ‘massacre’.

    Israel’s bombardment of Gaza killed at least 243 Palestinians, including 66 children, in 11 days and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished territory. On the Israeli side, 12 people, including two children, were killed.

  • Gaza’s largest bookshop destroyed by Israeli airstrikes

    Gaza’s largest bookshop destroyed by Israeli airstrikes

    Gaza’s largest bookstore was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday. Established in 2008, the shop housed thousands of books, including the largest collection of English literature in Gaza, and was also part of a publishing house that focused on Palestinian writers.

    Defending the attack, the Israeli military claimed that the strike was intended to destroy Hamas tunnels.

    The two-story bookshop was built 21 years ago and was one of the Gaza Strip’s largest sellers of books for children, students, academics and anyone else who loved to read. He also printed books and published stories written by local authors.

    “The books may be under rubble but that will not stop us,” writer Nada Abu Mideen told The National. “We will keep writing to show the world that we deserve life.”

    Read more – Eleven children receiving trauma care killed in their homes by Israeli airstrikes

    A GoFundMe has also been set up to help rebuild the store.

    This wasn’t the only bookstore that was destroyed in Gaza this week. Others, including the Iqraa library, were also either completely or partially destroyed.

    Bookstore owner Shaban Aslim can be seen holding back tears as he is interviewed in front of the rubble.

    “The bookstore was like my soul,” said Mansour, 53, who was born in the Gaza Strip and said that he had built this bookstore by starving himself.

  • SMQ labelled ‘anti-Semitic’ by CNN host

    CNN’s Senior Global Affairs Analyst and anchorperson Bianna Golodryga has labelled Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi “anti-Semitic” after she interviewed him on the ongoing violence in Gaza.

    Qureshi, who had appeared on Bianna’s show Thursday night, stated that the “tide was turning” against Israel as it was losing the media war despite its connections. The foreign minister had lashed out at Israel for its state-sanctioned massacre in Gaza, where nearly 250 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed in less than two weeks.

    The minister during the show had said a ceasefire was inevitable since Israel “is losing out”.

    When Golodryga asked Qureshi to explain Israel’s “connections”, Qureshi had said: “Deep pockets.”

    Golodryga further asked him to explain his point of view on the situation, to which Qureshi said: “They are very influential people, I mean they control media.”

    In response to this, the CNN journalist labelled him anti-Semitic.

    “The point is, they have a lot of influence, and they get a lot of coverage. What’s balanced that is the citizen journalist who has been reporting, sharing video clips, and that has jolted people and woken up people…people who were sitting on the fence are today, speaking up,” added Qureshi.

    Golodryga further stressed on the “anti-Semitic talk and rhetoric”. She stated that someone like Qureshi, who is in a powerful position, should say that’s wrong.

    Antisemitism is generally considered to be a form of racism and is defined as “hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews”.

    When Qureshi was talking about the heavy Palestinian casualties as a result of Israeli airstrikes, she urged him to be objective and also focus on Israeli casualties caused by Hamas rockets.

    After two weeks of violent attacks, Hamas and Israel reached a ceasefire early on Friday.

  • Eleven children receiving trauma care killed in their homes by Israeli airstrikes

    Eleven children receiving trauma care killed in their homes by Israeli airstrikes

    The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has confirmed that eleven children going through treatment to help them deal with trauma were killed by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in recent days.

    As per reports, all children between 5 and 15 years old were killed in their homes in different areas of the city while many of their relatives also either died or were injured.

    “We are devastated to learn that 11 children we were helping with trauma were bombarded while they were at home and thought they were safe,” said NRC’s Secretary General Jan Egeland.

    “They are now gone, killed with their families, buried with their dreams and the nightmares that haunted them. We call on Israel to stop this madness. Children must be protected. Their homes must not be targets. Schools must not be targets. Spare these children and their families. Stop bombing them now,” she asserted.

    Read more – Infant reunited with father after miraculously surviving Israeli airstrike

    The children NRC assisted included Lina Iyad Sharir, 15 who was targeted with both of her parents in their home on May 11 in Gaza City’s Al Manara neighbourhood. Her two-year-old sister Mina got third-degree burns and is in critical condition.

    13-year-old Hala Hussein al-Rifi was killed on the night of May 12. The attack also killed four-year-old Zaid Mohammad Telbani and his five month pregnant mother Rima. Zaid’s sister is now reportedly missing.

    Multiple air raids on May 16 killed six children that NRC worked with.

    The same attacks also killed Rula Mohammad al-Kawlak and many other children along with their family members.

    NRC works with 118 schools in the Gaza Strip approaching more than 75,000 students under its psycho-social intervention, the Better Learning Programme.

    “As an urgent measure, we appeal to all parties for an immediate ceasefire so that we can reach those in need and spare more civilians,” Egeland said.

    “But the truth is that there can be no peace or security as long as there are systemic injustices. The siege of Gaza needs to be lifted and the occupation of Palestinians must end if we are to avoid more trauma and death among children and new cycles of destruction every few years.”

  • Sheheryar Munawar hits out at western media for biased reporting on Palestine

    Sheheryar Munawar hits out at western media for biased reporting on Palestine

    Sheheryar Munawar has hit out at international media outlets for their “biased” coverage of Israeli atrocities against the people of Palestine. At least 36 Palestinians including 10 children have been killed in recent airstrikes while close to 250 have been injured.

    “Shame on CNN, shame on western media in general for their biased reporting,” said Sheheryar, calling out international news outlets for their biased approach against Palestine.

    “Shame on all the west in general, especially the US for staying quiet during these terrible times and supporting terrorists,” added the actor.

    Sheheryar further questioned: “Is it the same US, who unlawfully invaded Korea, Vietnam, Libya [and] Syria, claiming to liberate the oppressed?”

    “My heart bleeds for my brothers and sisters in Palestine,” continued Munawar. “Down with the injustice and tyranny. Down with state terrorism. Down with Israel.”

    Last week, tensions escalated in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, amid growing anger about potential forced expulsions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, on land claimed by illegal Jewish settler, Al Jazeera reported.

    Earlier, several Pakistani celebrities including Mahira Khan, Ahsan Khan, Maya Ali, Feroze Khan and Asim Azhar condemned Israeli brutality in Palestine and called for the world to take action. International celebrities including Gigi Hadid and Mo Salah have also raised their voice and called for the world to take action.

  • ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    Bloodshed between Israel and Hamas escalated overnight, with at least 35 Palestine Muslims killed in Gaza and five people killed in Israel in the most intensive aerial exchanges for years.

    https://twitter.com/aqadir97/status/1392337789480431619

    Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza into the early hours of Wednesday, and Gazans fired multiple rocket barrages at Tel Aviv and Beersheba in response.

    One multi-story residential building in Gaza collapsed and another was heavily damaged after they were repeatedly hit by Israeli air strikes.

    Prime Minister Khan tweeted in solidarity with Palestine, saying “I am PM Khan and we stand with Palestine”.

    As tensions rise between Palestinians and Israelis, the international media, social media noticed that the coverage of the international press was incredibly one-sided.

    Financial times wrote: “Hamas rocket attacks provoke Israeli retaliation in Gaza.”

    The Economist’s headline for the brutality of Israel on the Palestinians was : “Israel exchanges fire with Hamas as tensions in Jerusalem boil over.”

    BBC reported saying, “Pleas for calm as Israel-Gaza violence erupts”.

    The New York Times read: “After raid on Aqsa Mosque, Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Airstrikes”.

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, people voiced their concerns and sympathies on social media.

    U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland tweeted: “Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.

    “The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now,” he said.

    The world reminded the people of Palestine that they are not alone is such devastating times.

    Human Rights Minister in PM Khan cabinet, Shireen Mazari said, “Palestinians prevented from praying in Al Quds mosque & killing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza incl children – & all UN can do is express ‘concern’.”

    ” OIC also needs to move beyond rhetoric on Palestine & Kashmir,” she added.

    However, this has been the heaviest offensive between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control.

  • Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Models Mia Khalifa and Gigi Hadid have taken a stand for Palestine on Twitter and Instagram against Israeli violence in Palestine.

    https://twitter.com/miakhalifa/status/1391778314843344896
    Mia’s tweet was trending in Pakistan Tuesday night
    Gigi Hadid posted about Palestine on her Instagram stories

    RELATED: Mahira Khan, Babar Azam, Maya Ali among others condemn Israeli brutality in Palestine

    Confused about what’s going on in Palestine? Here is the breakdown:

    It started in the early days of Ramzan when Israeli forces tried to block off areas where Muslim worshipers would gather after the evening prayer. After mass protests by Muslims in the area, the blockade was lifted. But that was not the end. Israeli police then tried to hamper the movement of buses carrying Muslim worshipers to the Old City in Jerusalem, where the third holiest mosque in Islam, Al-Aqsa is located. The police said they were trying to find specific people on the buses. But it was seen as an attempt to slow down Muslims from gathering at Al-Aqsa for prayers.

    A man says his prayers while surrounded by Israeli police in the Old City

    Parallel to what was happening in the Old City, fifteen minutes away, in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah, Israeli settlers were trying to forcibly remove Palestinians from their homes. These homes had been given to the Palestinians in 1948 when Israeli was created, and the area was and has been predominantly Palestinian. A Jewish group is claiming that before the land was given to the Palestinians in 1948, the land belonged to the Jews. With what is being seen as help of the Israeli state, four Palestinian families were forcibly evicted from their homes. Protests erupted in the neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah and 15 minutes away, in the Old City, protests were ongoing against the Israeli state, leading to mass protests in Jerusalem.

    Protests in Al Jarrah

    During the protests, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded after being shot at, beaten and arrested. After seeing the protests in Jerusalem, Palestinians in Gaza also began to protest in solidarity. At least 24 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids, according to the Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas launched rockets towards Israel. Nine children were killed in the attack with more than a 100 injured.

    Video of a residential building destroyed by Israel in Gaza

    Meanwhile, in the Old City, Israeli forces stormed the compound where Al-Aqsa mosque is located, and Palestinians were praying and also peacefully protesting. Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and sound bombs at the Muslim worshippers. More than 180 Palestinians were injured.

    Israeli Jews gather to celebrate trees catching fire near Al-Aqsa Mosque

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, a tree in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound was lit on fire. It is unclear how it caught fire but when it did, Israelis came out to their holy site underneath the compound and danced, watching the trees near Al-Aqsa burn.

    In the most recent news, the Israeli high court has postponed a ruling that allowed for forced expulsions of the four Palestinian families in Al-Jarrah, which is a victory for the Palestinians. How long it lasts is still to be seen.

  • Mahira Khan, Babar Azam, Maya Ali among others condemn Israeli brutality in Palestine

    With Jerusalem under attack, people across the world are raising their voice against human rights violations by Israeli police against the people of Palestine. As per reports, at least 24 people were killed including 9 children in the recent air raids on Gaza.

    Tensions escalated in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza throughout the month of Ramzan, amid growing anger about potential forced expulsions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, on land claimed by illegal Jewish settler, Al Jazeera has reported.

    Several Pakistani celebrities including Mahira Khan, Ahsan Khan, Maya Ali, Feroze Khan and Amir Khan have condemned the Israeli brutality in Palestine and called for the world to take action.

    “Call it out. Call it what it is. Terrorism,” said Mahira Khan, adding Palestinian Lives Matter.

    “The world is standing by and witnessing a massacre in the whole month of Ramzan in Jerusalem,” said Ahsan. “Allah will not forgive us if [we] remain silent.”

    https://twitter.com/Ahsankhanuk/status/1391849619282440200

    Internationally acclaimed boxing champion Amir Khan also stood in solidarity with the people of Palestine by putting up the flag of Palestine in his home in the United Kindgom (UK).

    Praying for the people of Palestine, captain of the Pakistan cricket team Babar Azam said: “We just have to be human to stand up for humanity.”

    Feroze Khan, Sami Khan and Muhammad Amir expressed their support by using trending hashtags to give more traction to the cause.

    Neelum Muneer, Naimal Khawar, Ali Rehman Khan and Faysal Quraishi were also among those who condemned the violence in Palestine.

    “Where is the justice?,” questioned Sheheryar Munawar.

    Earlier, Asim Azhar, Shahid Afridi and Farhan Saeed also called out Israel for their atrocities against the people of Palestine.

    Meanwhile, the Government of Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan have also condemned the incident and have “reiterated their support for the Palestinian people.”

  • Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis dance as third holiest mosque attacked

    Israelis were seen dancing and singing in front of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem while a fire blazed on.

    More than twenty people including nine children and a Hamas commander were killed in Gaza Strip overnight – making it one of the bloodiest days of fighting in several years.

    While Israel continues to bomb Gaza and kill childern, this bloodbath has been the reality of Palestinians under apartheid.

    The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned escalating Israeli aggression and attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The meeting of the OIC Permanent Representatives was convened upon the request of the State of Palestine. During the meeting, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN also strongly condemned the Israeli aggression.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday strongly condemned the attack on innocent Palestinians by the Israeli forces during the month of Ramzan.

    Last month Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on how Israel is an apartheid state.

    The report says: International criminal law has developed two crimes against humanity for situations of systematic discrimination and repression: apartheid and persecution. Crimes against humanity stand among the most odious crimes in international law.

    Tensions in Jerusalem have flared since Israeli riot police attacked Palestinian worshippers on the last Friday of Ramazan in the city’s worst disturbances since 2017.

    Nightly unrest since then at the Al-Aqsa compound has left hundreds of Palestinians wounded, drawing international calls for de-escalation and sharp rebukes from across the Muslim world. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site of Islam.