Israel-Palestine Conflict: We Just Need to be A Human to Stand for Beside Palestine

The conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to this day.  The conflict between the two countries started happening again on May 10, 2021.  The escalating tension between Palestine and Israel stems from the plan to evict residents in Sheikh Jarrah.  The Palestinians who live there refuse to move because they believe Sheikh Jarrah is part of Palestine.  The citizens' opposition was then responded by Israel harshly.  When residents protested against the planned eviction at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on May 7, 2021, Israeli authorities attacked them.  Reporting from Kompas.com citing vox, the background of the Palestinian and Israeli conflicts is that each party wants to establish a state on the same land. Even though it looks simple, in reality the conflict that occurred between Palestine and Israel caused many complicated problems.  The conflict resolution process that has been going on for decades has actually resulted in another overlapping conflict.  Palestinian and Israeli relations are always hostile, even though they are side by side.  Israel undertakes a military occupation that makes Palestinians suffer.

The occurrence of conflict between the two countries has certainly reaped various pros and cons from various circles of society.  Those who are pro-Israel said that Israel has the right to live in peace and have its own territory. In addition, they also said that everything that Israel did was a form of their self-defense efforts. In the other hand, those who oppose it said that what Israel has done to Palestine is unnatural and outrageous. What is done by Israel is included as  colonialism and is a very cruel crime and this is also a gross violation of human rights.

We as humans cannot seem like we are closing our eyes about what is happening to Palestine at this time.  Israel's crimes against Palestine are very real in front of our eyes. Destruction, expulsion, coercion, plunder, violence and even terror are very visible at this time in Palestine. We as humans, especially Muslims, should defend Palestine, which is clearly being colonized at this time. So, why do we have to stand on the Palestinian side?  The following below are the reasons.

The first reason is that the Al-Aqsa mosque is the first qibla for Muslims to be located in Palestine.  The Al-Aqsa Mosque has an important history for Muslims. Reporting from Hidayatullah.com, this mosque became a Qibla for 14 or 17 months after the migration of Muslims to Medina in 624 AD. Then came the verse which ordered the movement of the Qibla of Muslims from the Al-Aqsa mosque to the Ka'bah in Makkah, which has become the Qibla of Muslims to this time.  Masjid Al Aqsa is also a historical place, where the prophet Muhammad stopped on his Isra 'and Mi'raj journey.  In addition, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is also the second mosque that was first built on this earth after the Al-Haram Mosque in Makkah. From this we can see how special the Al-Aqsa Mosque is for Muslims.  However, what is happening with the Al-Aqsa Mosque right now should be the concern of all Muslims in the world, therefore it would be nice for us to help and support our brothers there who are risking their lives in protecting this blessing place.

The second reason is that what Israel has done is a gross human rights violation.  As the largest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia is obliged to take part in cases of gross human rights violations in Palestine.  Because the actions carried out by Indonesia are a representation of the Muslim concern for the suffering experienced by the Palestinian people.  The colonial crimes committed by Israel against Palestine should open the eyes of all of our hearts that these crimes have harmed human values. Colonialism, imperialism, or other forms of colonialism that are taking place today cannot be justified regardless of their form.  Without pity, Israel could slaughter innocent people.  From women, the elderly, even children to babies.  Of course, this is no longer a form of self-defense but is a crime that must be stopped.  So, helping the Palestinians and supporting their independence is something that must be done together to bring about justice in the name of humanity.

And the last is, Indonesia and Palestine have a very close relationship.  Apart from all that, the Indonesian people should not forget that at the beginning of the independence period, Palestine was one of the countries that recognized and supported Indonesia's independence as a sovereign state. The closeness between Indonesia and Palestine has been going on for decades.  Palestine through mufti Amin Al Husayni became the initial state that supported and recognized Indonesia's independence.  Therefore, Palestinian independence is the most important thing that must continue to be voiced by the Indonesian people.

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So, all elements should unite to support the Palestinian people and stop all human rights violations that occur there.  Indonesia and other countries must continue to support and help voice in handling cases of international disputes and crimes, so that Israel will stop aggression against Palestine. What we should be aware of and must always remember is that we don't have to be a Muslim to help Palestine, we just need to be human beings who have a sense of humanity towards others.

References:

"Mengapa Palestina dan Israel Berperang?". (2020). Kompasiana.com. Retrieved on May 27, 2021

"Tiga Alasan Mengapa Umat Islam harus Memerdekakan Masjid Al-Aqsha?" .(2021). Hidayatullah.com. Retrieved on May 27, 2021