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Treat others as you would like to be treated.

8-19-2014

Just try to visualize for a moment, when the Israelis decided to bomb Gaza, what thousands of families in Palestine have endured for the past 28 days.

Imagine in an early morning hours, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes lower mainland region, with Vancouver at its epic center. The strike was so strong; it dismantled everything, from power plants shut down, to destroying clean water supply lines. All hospitals have been damaged or closed, simply vanished from the map. All bridges have collapsed. Emergency staffs are unable to reach victims due to gas lines being busted everywhere, and lack of adequate transportation. The entire region becomes a ghost town. Your own home, your sanctuary is nothing but rubble. You are stuck under the rubble, and you don’t even know where your children or your parents are, although you hear some cries and whimpering. However, you don’t know how many of them are even alive or dead. Suddenly you see some emergency workers brave enough to sift through the rubble, searching for survivors. From the rubble they successfully pull out your infant and a toddler, both with severe injuries. You see them rushing them to the ambulance. You yourself by now have realized, there is no chance you would survive. What would be your dying wish? Most people would be wishing that their children receives the best medical care and hope that there are enough aid and assistance available out there which would lead to their survival.

 According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) latest report on Gaza; as of 8 AM, August 12th 2014, 1995 people have been killed, among them 458 children, and 238 women; 9986 people have been injured, including 3009 children , 359 elderly , 370,000 people have been displaced, IDP, 16800 homes destroyed or damaged severely , that is the Richmond and Surrey population combined. 370,000 children requiring direct and specialized psychological support to deal with the trauma.

Vancouver and Gaza have very many things in common in terms of land area, and population, 1.8 million. Now can we imagine or comprehend destruction of this magnitude in our area, where one-third of all population living in emergency shelters, half of Richmond Home destroyed beyond repairs, with only one hospital, lacking medical equipment, supplies, and staff to serve the needs of 1.8 million people? No we cannot! Our humanity should compel us to reach out to them with an offer of assistance. If it does not than we are not humans and Have lost our moral compass?

They are after all Just like us!

They smile and laugh, when they are happy, and cry when they are sad. Just like us!

They bleed and whimper, when they are injured and in pain. Just like us!

They grieve when they lose a loved one. Just like us!

They long for love and care in their hour of need and sorrow. Just like us!

Can you imagine the impact of the Israeli aggression has left thousands of children without one or both parents, lying on the bare floor in an overly crowded under staff, exhausted beyond our imagination and ill-supplied Al Shifa Hospital.

The picture of a young girl, lying on the floor, both her parents dead, clinching to the only thing which she could call her own, her teddy bear, circulating on social media has made us all cry, but unfortunately has not moved us to do something for her or thousands of other children like her. If we may ask why? Are we so desensitized that we cannot see our own child in her and many others like her to step up and say, no this could be my child. Where is our humanity? Have we lost our moral compass?

God Forbid, if such a catastrophe was to strike our region, we know the entire nation and people from world over would come to our aid.

So can we at least extend the same favour to the victims of Gaza.

In Canada we cannot even fathom such a catastrophe. The strong people of Palestine have learned to survive under such conditions and have developed a will to survive and are braving through this unjustified and inhuman massacre – A Genocide – A War Crime – and we know with or without international help they will survive and thrive- Insha Allah.

However, it does not abrogate our duty towards them. We have an obligation to reach out to them with an offer of assistance on humanitarian and compassionate basis.  

On July 28, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish made a general appeal in Toronto Star, “Canadians can heal wounds in the Holy Land” urging the Ontario and federal government to bring at least 100 wounded children who require urgent and immediate medical assistance to Canada. His proposal was supported by the Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair. 

In his statement released on August 3, Sunday afternoon, Mulcair said the Feds should get involved.

"I call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to join us and pledge his personal support, and that of the Canadian government, to offer our aid to the injured children of Gaza and help facilitate the transfer of injured children to Canadian hospitals.

"Working with the provinces and health professionals, we have a chance to demonstrate the best of Canadian values including peace, love and care for others."

On August 3^rd Justin Trudeau on his twitter handle wrote, “Please add your name in support of bringing Palestinian children to receive medical treatment in Canada. http://www.heal100kids.com/ .”

On August 5, Ontario took the lead on Dr. Abuelaish appeal, and became the first province to announce, “The province is willing to take the most serious cases from both Gaza and Israel if the children are unable to receive proper treatment at home but can make the journey to Canada, Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins said Tuesday.”

“Five Ontario hospitals — including Toronto's famed Hospital for Sick Children — have offered to treat the kids, with some medical staff even offering to work for free. There's also a possibility that funds may be raised by the public to offset some of the costs, such as transport and accommodation,” Hoskins said, “the province needed help from the federal government, such as for providing visas.”

At this hour of need, We urge Our BC Premier Christie Clark, to follow the lead of Ontario’s Premier, Ms. Kathleen Wynne, as a mother to consider and accept the proposal of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish Initiative and assist the children of Gaza, Palestine.

The province of BC needs to make at least similar commitment as Ontario.

We say to Premier Christie Clark, this would be an excellent time to show your softer compassionate side, the one shown by Ms. Kathleen Wynne, the Premier of Ontario – Bravo to you and your cabinet for considering such a bold and humane step.

To sign up for the appeal to treat the Gaza Children, click the link below.

http://www.alameenpost.com/petition.aspx 

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Article Source: ALAMEENPOST.COM