Different Treatment Toward Corona and Palestinians Victims
By: Sakuri, Journalist of MINA
Since the spread of Coronavirus which was first discovered in the city of Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019. The virus continues to spread rapidly to at least 25 countries all around the world.
World Health Organization (WHO) named it as Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) refers to the geographical location, animals, individuals or certain groups of people associated with the disease.
Regarding coronavirus, as reported by some media, the US authorities have confirmed that as much as 14 of its residents were evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan back to the country due to the coronavirus.
More than 300 Americans were transferred from the ship, which docked in the Japanese port city of Yokohama. As reported by CBS.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Sunday night, confirmed the third Israeli citizen aboard a cruise ship quarantined from Japan had been diagnosed with a deadly coronavirus.
The ministry said the woman, who had not been identified, was moved from the Diamond Princess and taken to a Japanese hospital for medical treatment, the Times of Israel reported.
On Sunday, two Israeli passengers on the quarantined ship tested positive for the virus, joining more than 355 passengers who had been infected.
Hypocritic and Discrimination
The attitude of the US in protecting the lives of its citizens from the deadly coronavirus, on one hand, deserves appreciation.
But on the other hand, unfortunately, the attitude of the US towards corona and Palestinians is totally different whereas they are all human beings. They have a similar right to live. The US very concerns about the corona victims but they ignore Palestinians who are facing a more serious problem than corona. As we know, the US proclaims as the country that upholds the human right. It shows a hypocritical attitude and discrimination.
Can it be justified, differentiating treatment between the victims of corona and victims of human rights crimes (in Palestine), while they claimed to be a country that cares for the safety of human lives?
I think saving the lives of its own citizens, but ignoring the lives of other citizens is inappropriate and that is an attitude of disrespect for human rights
Not Comparable
The death tolls caused by the deadly coronavirus and those who killed by Israeli military aggression into the Gaza Strip are not comparable.
From July 7th, to August 26th, 2014, at least 2145 Palestinians were killed, including 578 children, 263 women, and 102 elderly people.
While the injured have reached 11100 people, including 3,374 children, 2088 women, and 410 elderly people, as reported by the International Middle East Media Agency (IMEMC) quoted by MINA.
Then referring to a report from the Al Mezan Human Rights Center show, on Friday, February 8, 2019, Israeli forces killed two children and injured 104 protesters, including 43 children, five women, and one paramedic; among them 22 by live ammunition and 48 by tear gas canisters.
Al Mezan added since the protests began on March 30, 2018, 265 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 188 died in the demonstration, including 38 children, two women, two journalists, three paramedics, and eight disabled people, including one child.
According to the same source, there were 14,378 other people injured, including 3,058 children, 630 women, 171 paramedics, and 149 journalists. Of those injured, 7,635 were hit by direct fire, including 1,426 children and 152 women.
Before that, 38 years ago exactly on September 16, 1982, there was a massacre by the Israeli military of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Sabra and Shatila camps, Lebanon.
In his book published shortly after the massacre, Israeli journalist Amnon Kapeliouk of Le Monde Diplomatique concluded that about 2,000 bodies were removed after the massacre according to official sources and the Red Cross and “a very rough estimate” estimates 1,000-1,500 other victims removed by the Phalangists themselves.
The overall figure of 3,000-3,500 is often quoted by Palestinians. This massacre aroused anger throughout the world.
On December 16, 1982, the United Nations General Assembly condemned the massacre and declared it an act of genocide. But again there was no action, both on a national and international scale.
Life without Discrimination is Part of Human Rights
The rights to life without discrimination (regardless of nation and citizenship) is the most fundamental rights as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In the declaration, humans who are born must be treated in the same way, without discrimination. Everyone has the freedoms without any distinction, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinions or otherwise, national or social origin, property, birth, or another status.
The Value of Life in Islam
# 1. Killing one life is like killing all humans
Islam as a religion that teaches rahmatan lil alamin highly values human lives. The instructions of the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet indicate that killing one life is like killing all the whole lives and instead of preserving one life means maintaining the whole life.
Like the word of God in the verse Al-Maidah verse 32.
من أجل ذلك كتبنا على بني إسرائيل أنه من قتل نفسا بغير نفس أو فساد في الأرض فكأنما قتل الناس جميعا ومن أحياها فكأنما أحيا الناس جميعا ولقد جاءتهم رسلنا بالبينات ثم إن كثيرا منهم بعد ذلك في الأرض لمسرفون
“Therefore, we have determined (a law) for the Children of Israel, that: whoever kills a human being, not because that person (kills) another person, or not because of causing damage on earth, it is as if he has killed a whole human. And whoever preserves the life of a human being, it is as if he has preserved the lives of all people. And indeed came to them Our apostles with (carrying) clear statements, then many of them after that really exceeded the limits in doing damage on earth “(Al-Maidah 32).
# 2. The Messenger of Prophet Muhammad on Hajj Wada
“I will you, O servants of God, be afraid of Allah and encourage you to obey Him. I started my conversation well. O people, as for your blood, and your wealth is haram (preserved) so that you meet your Lord like honor today and like honor this month ”(Al-Bukhari-Muslim).
# 3. Blood Case firstly Reckoned
From Abdullah bin Mas’ud radhiallahu‘anhu he said Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa salam said, “The matter that will first be decided (in the reckoning) among humans on the Day of Judgment is a matter of blood (murder).” (Muttafaqun ‘alaih)
# 4. One’s Life more valuable than the world
The Prophet Muhammad said,” The sin of killing a believer is greater than the destruction of the world. ” (HR. An-Nasa’i)
“The destruction of the world is lighter in the sight of Allah than the killing of a Muslim.” (Narrated by An-Nasa’i and At-Tirmidhi)
It is even mentioned in a hadith that a Muslim’s blood in the eyes of Allah Ta’ala is far nobler than the Kaaba.
May the discrimination of the US and Israeli treatment of the lives of Palestinians and other nations of the world be stopped immediately.
Peace in Palestine, peace in the world
(AT/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
