Recent editorials in two leading Pakistani dailies question the response of the Islamic world and the international community to the suffering of the Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza and West Bank.
In the first editorial, titled "Muslim Rulers Should Increase Pressure On Israel," the Urdu-language daily Roznama Jasarat, which is published by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, questioned the rulers of Islamic nations for limiting its response to mere words and promises.
The second editorial, titled "West Bank Under Siege," The Nation newspaper accused the world of complicity in the suffering of Palestinians, stating:"Here we are again, with the international community largely silent or complicit, as another human catastrophe unfolds before our eyes."
Following are excerpts from the Roznama Jasarat editorial:[1]
"If Muslim Rulers Show Courage, The Israeli Government Can Be Toppled – The Subsequent Stages Will Become Easier"
"There are massive protests against Israeli terrorism and the genocide of Palestinians happening around the world. In some non-Muslim countries, protests have been even larger than those in Muslim countries. However, now Israelis are also taking to the streets against their fanatical prime minister. On Sunday [September 8], 750,000 people came out on the streets against Netanyahu.
"Despite the completion of 11 months of the Gaza war in Israel, the Netanyahu government has not been able to get its hostages freed from the captivity of Hamas against which there were strong protests on Sunday. All major highways in Israel were filled with protestors who chanted slogans, demanding the recovery of hostages, against the Netanyahu government. The protesters demanded that Netanyahu, instead of saving his own position, immediately negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas so that Israeli hostages could be released from Hamas captivity as soon as possible.
"This demonstration can also help the rulers of Islamic countries to adopt a common position. But it is the Muslim rulers who prove to be the real problem now. Because of their cowardice and incompetence, Israel has become such a lion that now it is saying openly that it will kill [new Hamas leader] Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammad Sinwar as well.
"It has been said in the tone of an overlord that 'nothing is beyond our reach.' It is another matter that they are not recovering hostages. If a small organization like Hamas has been troubling Israel for 11 months, why are powerful Islamic countries sitting quietly? Now is the right time to increase pressure on Israel and demand the evacuation of the occupied territories.
"If Muslim rulers show courage, the Israeli government can be toppled. The subsequent stages will become easier. The announcements of various Islamic countries regarding retaliation, a unified Islamic stance, and the formation of a collective force are still just declarations, and wars are not won through declarations alone."
Following are excerpts from the editorial in The Nation:[2]
"The Strategic Moves Being Employed... Are Not Isolated Incidents But Part Of A Broader, Calculated Campaign To Subdue And Displace The Palestinian Population"
"The recent killing of 16 Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli forces marks yet another grim chapter in the ongoing occupation and aggression against the Palestinian people. It is becoming increasingly evident that after the relentless assaults on Gaza, the West Bank is now in the crosshairs. The strategic moves being employed – ranging from increased military presence to targeted attacks – are not isolated incidents but part of a broader, calculated campaign to subdue and displace the Palestinian population.
"The indicators are clear: this is not just about security or retaliation, but a systematic effort to expand control and further entrench the occupation. The world has witnessed similar tactics before, and history has not been kind to the perpetrators of such atrocities. Yet, here we are again, with the international community largely silent or complicit, as another human catastrophe unfolds before our eyes.
"This is not merely a political conflict; it is a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent global intervention. The collective conscience of the world is at stake. To stand by and do nothing is to be complicit in the suffering and displacement of an entire people. The lessons of history are clear: inaction in the face of such blatant aggression only emboldens the aggressor and prolongs the suffering of the oppressed."
