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Nejoud Al Yagout - — Photo by Djinane Alsuwayeh

Many people claim that Arabs and Muslims only lament for Palestine because they are Arabs and Muslims. And yes, Arabs cry for Arabs, Muslims cry for Muslims, but many non-Arabs and non-Muslims are also crying for Palestine, because it is a humanitarian crisis and a disaster that affects us collectively. If it is considered legal for external governing bodies to take over land to solve the issue of minorities or ostracized ethnic groups, then every country on Earth is in danger of losing its sovereignty, especially if it is backed by a divine mandate.

When it becomes acceptable for young kids at a protest to be shot at when their weapons are stones, something is amiss. Seriously amiss. In extreme cases, certain scenarios can justify a nation's right to defend itself where adults are concerned. But when have children become a threat?

If Israel has a historical claim over Palestine, then the Khoisan have a claim over South Africa, Aborigines have a right to Australia, Native Indians have a right to America and so on and so forth. No country today has a claim to the land of their ancestors. So even if the Israelis claim it is their land, it no longer was in 1912. It no longer was in 1948. Nor was it their land in 1967.

And since it has been recognized as a nation today, it is cause for concern to witness such a powerful nation further harass Palestinians by taunting them with Jerusalem as its capital. Why the callousness? Is it necessary to flaunt one's dominance in such a flagrant manner? Jerusalem should be a neutral plot of land for all followers of the three Abrahamic faiths to coexist peacefully. Not one of the three can claim it without offending their brethren from the other two branches or without creating tension.

If Israel continues to expand its settlements without any regard for Palestinians while the world goes about its business without implementing decisive regulations, then something has to give. And it has to come from Israel itself since all supporters of Palestine are either helpless or have been swayed. It is now up to Israel to wake up and remember that only labels - mere labels - separate Israelis from Palestinians. Prayers for Palestine have not been working, so we now pray that Israel has a change of heart and that it realizes that the only way to peace is through peace. We pray this change of heart comes soon, for the sake of humanity, not just for Arabs and Muslims, but all of humanity.

Is it worth it to stage one apocalyptic battle after another to actualize a vision for a new world or a prophecy or to keep the arms industry in business or to displace one another to build pipelines or for whatever reason to start a war? Is it worth it to stage false flag operations and fund terrorists to galvanize hatred and gain support? When will expansionism and control no longer matter? When will governments and people work together to turn our planet into a Garden of Eden? When will all lives be as sacred as the lives of those who put plans into action?

People like to create a narrative of West vs East or Islam vs Judaism, stating that Arabs are polarizing Jews or accusing them of anti-Semitism or even vice versa. But if we leave out the labels and recognize our collective humanity, we can all work together so that none of this happens in an era almost begging for us to evolve.

By Nejoud Al-Yagout

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