Mohammad Abdul Wadud :
Baitul Muqaddas is the first Qibla of Islam and the third holy place after Makka Muajjama and Madina Munawara. Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) preferred to start the journey from Masjidul Haram, Baitul Muqaddas, as the special holy place but he did not say about other Masjid. After that Hijrat Baitul Muqaddas became the first Qibla. From this place, the last Prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) went to Miraj. Baitul Muqaddas and its surrounding places are memorable for being the birth place of many great Prophets. This was the centre of Islamic faith and culture. There are mazars of many Prophets. This is why this place is so dearer to the Muslim ummah.
On 15 May, 1948 the State of Israel was established through the Bellfore Declaration on this territory. The Israelis, as anti-Muslim in believers, became furious and started to massacre the Muslims. Their oppression compelled many Arabs to leave their country. However, the Baitul Muqaddas was under the Muslims till then. But during the Arab-Israel war in 1967, The Muslims lost control of the land to the Israelis. The oppressed people of Palestine are continuing their struggle to reoccupy their land and take control of the Holy Al-Quds (Masjidul Aqsa/Baitul Mukaddas).
The Israeli occupation and construction of houses on the West bank and Gaza by the Israelis have been going on. Any Palestinian protest is responded or replied with force, mostly by heavy military wares. After the establishment of Palestine state, Israel and its masterminds made fun with it. Israel routinely invades Palestine and destroys the habitations of the Palestinians in the name of preventing terrorism. They even kill innocent children on daily basis.
President Yasir Arafat was kept captive in his palace till breathed his last there. The Israeli military destroyed a portion of his presidential building at Ramallah. As a result, he had to hold Cabinet meeting in his dining table. After the death of Arafat, Mahmud Abbas was elected President. His pro-USA policy created a gap between the PLO and the mass-people. By wining election in 2006, Hamas formed government. Their policy towards aggressive Israel is rigid and they don’t recognise the Israel state. So, conspiracy begun against the democratically elected government of Hamas.
The World Bank and IMF led by USA stopped helping Palestine. As a result of the defense, health and education system collapsed. With that, in the name of controlling terrorism, Israeli expedition against Palestine is still going on. The Israeli tanks frequently enter into the Palestinian area and destroy the houses and other facilities there. But USA, UK or UNO did not say anything against them. Instead, they created pressure on Hamas to take strict step against the presumed acts of terrorism by the Palestinians. Is there any logic that the Israel will destroy their habitations by tank, kill their leaders but the Palestinians will not stand up against it!
The Palestinians subsequently launched a political counter movement called Intifada. It is neither terrorism nor militancy. Intifada is the commitment to stand up in protest and continue movement against the persecution and heinous activities of the Israelis. Israel and its guardians are afraid of the Hamas and the Intifada. That’s why USA-favourite President Mahmud Abbas dismissed the elected government of Hamas. But it is not marked as a violation of human rights and democracy in the eyes of the West. The West as a whole is against the liberation of Palestine and reoccupation or freeing of the Al Quds. They are all out to ensure security of Israel. Democratisation of the Palestine is not their consideration but their main target is to establish in Palestine an Israel-favourable government.
Israel, the troublemaker in the Middle East, was born in an artificial way. So long the Israel will exist, the Palestine will be reproached and oppressed. Peace and stability of the world will be impeded again and again. Israel is a hindrance not only for the Hamas but also for the whole Muslim world, especially a threat for peace and security in the Arab world. That’s why the Muslim Ummah should take stern position unitedly against this aggressive state. All Muslims should stand by the Palestinian people. It is impossible to achieve their freedom by holding of a war crime court or with the help of White House. For that, Intifada is the best way to achieve freedom.
The great leader of Islamic revolution in Iran in 1989 AD, Imam Ayatollah Ruhulla Khomeini called the Muslims to observe the last Friday of Ramadan as the Al-Quds Day every year. Since then it is being observed internationally. Today Al-Quds Masjid is confined by the Zionist power.
Let’s observe the last Friday of Ramadan and pledge unitedly for freedom of Palestine and freeing of Al-Aqsa. The struggle will continue for recovering Al-Quds and the Palestinian brothers will achieve complete freedom. But for that to happen, The Muslims, particularly the Palestinians must act unitedly, more tactfully and diplomatically but in no way in indulging in meaningless terrorist exercises. That will only belittle the Muslims in public eyes, specially the Western eyes, and offer scope to the West to stand by the side of the Israel.
