The protest by the Islamic world against Israel can be described as impotent rage. This is demonstrated by the attempt to storm the US miliary base in Türkiye, the calls by Pakistanis for permission from their government to travel to Palestine to join in the war against Israel and the numerous protests across the world.
I agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu that before any ceasefire from Israel, Hamas must first release the more that 250 hostages. The kidnapping and holding of hostages are acts of cowardice, like Rawan’s kidnapping of Sita in the Ramayana. Had Ravan some testicular fortitude he would have confronted Ram and engaged him in battle.
Hamas and the Islamic world should either declare a conventional war against Israel or use diplomacy to resolve the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict. Iran is fighting a proxy war against Israel by funding Hamas in Gaza, Houthis in Yemen, and the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Unfortunately, Iran does not have the fortitude to directly challenge Israel. However, the said Iran is known to murder young girls for failing to cover their heads.
The Islamic world must call upon Hamas to release the hostages and this they are not doing. Would Hamas sympathizers explain the reason for tunnels under hospitals, schools, and residences?
It is time for Hamas and Palestine to stop being pawns in global jihad and sit with Israel to find a solution to their problems. The two-nation theory is the solution to the ongoing conflict, but the Islamic world would not have it. Instead, their policy is to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Are the anti-Israel forces concluding that there was no Jewish homeland called Israel and the Old and New Testaments are all lies? Where was the original home of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the patriarchs of the Jews?
The challenge for Hamas and the Islamic world is to live in harmony with their non-Islamic nations. This Muslims find difficult to do. In the Indian subcontinent, India was partitioned to create Pakistan. As if this was not enough, in both Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Hindu minorities are daily brutalized and forced into conversion. From 1947 to present the Hindu population in Bangladesh and Pakistan has been reduced from 25 and 13 percent to 5 and 1 percent respectively.
The Islamic world including Hamas and Palestine must concentrate on development and this can only be achieved by cooperation. Hamas needs to wake up to the reality that there is much to be gained by having Israel as a friend rather than an enemy. For the past 70 years the Islamic world has failed to destroy Israel and must now employ diplomacy to find a solution. The reality is that the wealthy Arab states such as Saudi Arabia do not open their doors to Muslims refugees as was demonstrated recently when the Americans abandoned Afghanistan to the Taliban and the late response of the Egypt to open their border crossing for refugees from Gaza to seek shelter.
The social disparities that exist among and within Islamic nations must be addressed instead of putting the blame on the US, India and other non-Islamic nations and institutions for the social condition of Muslims. Now is a good time for Muslims to look within!
