Ever since Israel laid the cornerstone of its apartheid wall in 1994, setting the tone for its relations with the rest of the Arab and Islamic world, such words have haunted the Muslim community, as they carry within them foretold warnings of coming tribulations.

And indeed, much suffering has befallen Palestinians since Tel Aviv’s Zionists have moved forth their plan for total control over the region. Over the past 20 years, Palestine has been plundered by Israel, its rich arable lands confiscated, its water resources rerouted to benefit illegal settlers and its people treated as mere cattle awaiting slaughter.

The once proud land of Palestine has been crying bitter tears tainted with pain and sorrow as her children have been driven from their homes by Zion’s hordes and abandoned by the Islamic Ummah for too many chose to shamelessly turn away rather than face the discomfort of war. As the world fell prey to global powers’ agendas, as Muslims witnessed the inception of US President George W. Bush’s new world order, Palestine died a little more every day.

After decades of injustice, humiliation and bloodshed, the land of Palestine is but a shadow of its former self, a fractured country whose ever-shrinking borders will soon collapse on themselves to leave behind only the memory of what once was.

For all their millions, Muslims could not find strength in numbers to oppose but a handful. Betrayed from within, Muslims have looked upon the hills of al-Quds and watch in silence as our sacred land is being defiled by evil.

Just as a snake would coil around its victim, Israel’s wall of shame has slithered its way throughout Palestine, forever dividing communities, forever wrecking livelihoods and cutting out families from their loved ones, slowly suffocating an entire nation.

Intent on reducing Palestine to rubbles and assert its supremacy over Islam, Israel announced it wants its Separation Wall, its apartheid fence to act as the new border demarcation line. And while Palestinian authorities have decried such a project, calling on the international community to act a witness before such injustice and down-right pillaging, the world knows that neither salvation nor indeed justice will ever be given to Palestine, rather it would have to be taken.

While Palestinian authorities continue to beg for scraps, hoping to salvage a modicum of pride by retreating behind the 967 borders, Israel’s long-standing blood-hound Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected such a proposal, stressing that it would not only make Israel “indefensible” but that it would also “fail to take into account the past 46 years demographic changes.” In essence, Netanyahu wishes for Palestinians to accommodate illegal Zionist settlers, based on the ill-conceived belief that they hold a claim onto the kingdom of Sulaiman. But if ever there was a claim to be made on the holy land of Palestine, such claim would have to be from God, as none but Him can ever have true ownership onto the world.

By Catherine Shakdam

Source: Press TV

As noted by Al-Jazeera in a report early November, “Israel resumed work on its sprawling wall in 2002 at the height of the second Intifada, and has defended its construction as a protective measure … But Palestinians, who refer to it as the "apartheid wall," say it is a land grab. When complete, 85% of it will have been built inside the West Bank.”

Although the International Court of Justice ruled against the Apartheid Wall in 2004 following calls from the rights community, having established that it stood contrary to international law, Israel, which has made a career out of ignoring and trampling over laws has ignored the decision, daring anyone to oppose its will.

And indeed, who will oppose its will? Who will oppose this sprawling monster which threatens to swallow Palestine whole?

Allison Deger - the assistant editor of Mondoweiss.net – made a clear warning in her report on the wall. She wrote, “It’s barely 100 meters, but a fence Israel plans to build through four villages in the heart of the iconic hills of the West Bank shows how deep the occupation reaches into Palestinian life. Earlier this month, the Israeli military ordered the construction of a separation fence in the north-central West Bank on agricultural land belonging to four Palestinian villages.”
Far beyond security concerns, Israel seeks to eat away at Palestine until nothing is left but memories, believing otherwise would simply be utterly naïve. But what of Palestinians rights? Well, Israel has far greater worries to concern itself with, than the rights of the very people it wants to annihilate.

Following decades of practice, Israel has mastered the art that has become apartheid, having surpassed all, in the systematic of its sectarian-based and racially motivated system. A hateful, segregate and nefarious regime, Israel is but a reflection of its leadership: wicked and treacherous.

As so justly noted by Turkish writer, Mahir Zeynalov, “Not a single week passes without news reports on Israel’s unfair treatment of its subjects and Israel is awash with ubiquitous apartheid practices, particularly in the occupied territories.”

And yet, the world stands idle as oppression wears ever more heavy over Palestine. And yet, the Muslim Ummah stands as its faith, its beliefs and its people are, stripped from their humanity.

Could it be that Muslims are simply awaiting their savior, Imam Mahdi, to finally reignite Islam’s flame to eventually reclaim their battered pride and remember their duties? And if indeed we are, if indeed we await his arrival … How can we claim to such salvation when all we have to offer is our ever-growing shame?

What will we answer when asked where we were when Palestine cried out?