On Palestine, Israel's attacks in Lebanon and the need for Muslim unity

This week, the occupying state of Israel remotely detonated and blew up hundreds of pagers in Lebanon, supposedly to target Hezbollah members. But the attacks indiscriminately killed nearly a dozen of people, and injured thousands more, including civilians at home, in grocery stores, in their cars, and everywhere in between – an act of terrorism by any standard.

A day later, more deadly explosions rocked Beirut and other cities in Lebanon. The explosions themselves have created a new sense of PTSD, with people unsure if/when they may be the next target. Perhaps even more frightening, people still do not know how exactly their devices are being targeted, and what's coming next.

Amid this uncertainty and horror, we are seeing a near-total absence of robust language from any Western country condemning the Israeli military's killing of civilians. The complicity and silence of Western nations regarding the attack on Lebanon, alongside the yearlong genocide in Gaza, make clear that the fight for Palestinian liberation is not just about Palestine.

Rather, it is emblematic of a larger struggle for Arab and Muslim independence from Western imperialism. Today, more than ever, unity across Arab and Muslim nations is crucial in confronting the forces that seek to divide and dominate the Middle East.

Historically, the Arab world has been fragmented by colonial powers, weakened through economic and political interventions, and manipulated by promises of security and technological aid from the West.

Divide and conquer

The United States and its allies have long utilised the strategy of divide and conquer to pit Arab states against each other, creating a fractured region unable to mount a cohesive resistance. Now, as the violence in Gaza continues, this fragmentation remains a significant obstacle to liberation. The pursuit of Palestinian independence is a fight not just for Palestine, but for the sovereignty and dignity of the entire Arab and Muslim world.

Many people already understand this. Since October, millions across the Muslim and Arab world have been protesting against Israel's atrocities and demanding that their governments do more to stop the war on Gaza.

In Bangladesh, for example, a boycott campaign caused Coca Cola sales to plunge. In Yemen, there are weekly protests where hundreds of thousands of people express their support of Palestine and the struggle for liberation.

And, of course, we have seen the rise of hundreds of student encampment movements across the world spearheaded by Arab and Muslim university students.

To say that Palestine would be much further along in our liberation struggle if Arab and Muslim nations committed to unifying for its cause, is an understatement.

The failure of major Arab states to take a firm stand against Israel's aggression is glaring. Arab nations with enormous economic power and international influence have remained largely ineffective as Israel continues its relentless genocide.

Many have been drawn into negotiations that could lead to the normalization of relations with Israel, often placing Palestinian sovereignty as a secondary concern. Critics say the US has enticed some Gulf states with promises of advanced fighter jets, nuclear technology and defence pacts in exchange for turning a blind eye to Palestine's plight.

These normalisation efforts are seen not only as a betrayal of the Palestinian people, but also as a serious miscalculation of the wider geopolitical implications for the region.

For true liberation to take place, the Arab world must reject these divisive tactics and instead champion a unified, collective front.

The Bahrain Declaration, which called in May for an international conference under the United Nations to resolve the Palestinian issue, shows that Arab unity is possible. While diplomatic efforts like these are necessary, they must be backed by a commitment from Arab nations to resist Western economic incentives that compromise regional sovereignty.

By allowing themselves to be swayed by such incentives, these states betray not only Palestine but the broader Arab world's struggle for independence.

Uniting around a common goal

The Arab and Muslim world must now rally together in ways that transcend sectarian lines, outdated political divisions, and external pressures.

Nations should collectively divest from Israeli products and companies, forgo any normalisation until Palestine is liberated completely, and use the very real political influence they have to exert pressure on an international stage.

Collectively, Arab and Muslim countries from North Africa to the Gulf to Southeast Asia hold strong economic ties and treaties with Western nations, and this influence should be leveraged to ensure that Israel cannot commit their crimes with impunity.

Western powers have long benefited from these divisions, often supporting authoritarian governments in exchange for compliance with imperial goals. However, this moment presents an opportunity to forge a united front, one that can challenge the existing order and work towards an independent, self-determined Middle East.

A region free from foreign domination, one that existed before the arbitrary borders drawn by the Sykes-Picot Agreement, can only come to fruition through regional unity.

The ramifications of this week’s events remain uncertain, but they serve as a stark reminder of what is at stake. Western powers, led by the US, have long used Israel as a proxy to maintain control over the Middle East.

By weakening Palestine and fragmenting Arab nations, they aim to ensure their continued dominance in the region. However, a united Arab and Muslim world, one that recognises that the fight for Palestine is intrinsically linked to its own freedom, has the potential to challenge this status quo.

Unity, solidarity, and resistance are not just slogans; they are the essential ingredients for a Middle East without division, a region that existed before the borders imposed by colonialism. The Arab and Muslim world must now step up, not only to ensure the liberation of Palestine but to reclaim their own sovereignty from the clutches of Western imperialism.

A future free from occupation, division, and foreign control is possible, but only if the nations of the Middle East stand together, rejecting the false promises of the West and working toward true liberation for all.