Contemplating the devastation that has befallen Gaza and the suffering of its people, one cannot help but think of another nation. Thousands of years ago, in the same region, a nation was persecuted at the hands of the Romans, and one of them was nailed to a cross for no other reason than that he sought peace.
Today, the people of Gaza, who have already tasted more inhumanity than any people should bear, are being crucified on a far wider scale. Tens of thousands of innocents have been killed. An entire region, with its homes, hospitals, and roads, has been reduced to rubble- desperate masses are starving in the open air.
We cannot help but recall how the Romans, who buried their glory by sheer madness, hatred, and oppression, gradually began to undermine their empire from within.
History now seems to be tragically repeating itself. A nation that had risen from the ashes of persecution and genocide to build a state founded on dignity, democracy, and hope has now fallen into the same trap. It has been captured by extremism, hatred, and rage, persecuting another nation as they themselves had once been.
The tragedy in all of this cannot be overstated. It is not only a tragic moment for the people of Gaza and all Palestinians, but also for the Israelis who had once aspired to become a beacon of tolerance, compassion, and respect. Their spiral into violence has enraged peace-loving peoples across the planet, and the latter have stopped asking themselves which side is in the wrong.
The spiteful violence that Israel is inflicting upon Gaza and the Palestinian people is already eroding the foundations of a state supposedly built on universal humanist values. The world is not falling for it anymore.
The Middle East is a uniquely precious region for humanity. Not only is it the cradle of civilization, it is also the birthplace of the three great monotheistic religions and their divine messengers. Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them) carried from the heavens a message of peace, tolerance, and mercy. Our region and its peoples had a responsibility to spread these values across the world. We must respond to these acts of hatred and violence by extending a hand and seeking peace. And if the Israelis truly wish to be our neighbors, they must take our hand and join us in honoring the message of our prophets.
Two thousand years ago, the crucifixion of a messenger of peace was not broadcast live on television. It was not shared on social media. The crucifixion of Gaza’s people is. Fortunately, citizens of the West, especially in the United States, who had until recently been unaware of the suffering the Palestinian people had endured for decades, know the truth. They are fully conscious of the inhumanity the Israelis have subjected the Palestinians to. People are starving and dying. Before our eyes, we see endless victims being brutalized by a regime on a daily basis.
We must all remember history and understand that persecuting nations that seek nothing more dignified and peaceful lives does not corrupt those nations; it corrupts their oppressors.
To see even a single child, let alone tens of thousands, lose their life, their limbs, or become an orphan is a calamity no human being should bear. The world is saying “enough!” Humanity is calling on all of us to wake up before peace itself is crucified amid this spiral of death.
The prophets of the Middle East have always carried a message of peace and dignity, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable among us.
Let us all remind those who commit, justify, or even merely stand by in the face of such cruelty that the world rewards those who behave with dignity and respect, not those who perpetuate death and destruction.
