The festival of Eid el-Fitr is one that is thought to usher in joy and celebration. The Muslim community across the world perceives this festival as one that aids in the consolidation of family ties and fraternity. But ask the desperate and almost hopeless Palestinians in the Gaza strip and their response would be a mixed one, with a stark inclination towards pessimism.
On Friday, the Palestinians celebrated their most important festival in the Muslim calendar, but the touch of apprehension and sorrow was hard to miss. More than the ongoing tussle with Israel, for an independent State, is the fact that the Palestinians themselves are divided in their ideologies. The two factions of the Palestinian community, Fatah and Hamas, are at loggerheads and even to this day, there are reports of fights between them. Gaza has been more harmed by this infighting than the battle against Israel; the region has been eaten from the inside.
On the occasion of Eid el-Fitr, there were no reports of any attack or killing but the fear was hard to shake off. Palestinians are embracing each other in an apparent revelation of brotherhood, but underneath the surface lurks tension that all such joy could crash to the ground soon. The mosques might be full on the auspicious occasion, however, the naked truth is that no one knows for sure when peace will reign in the region.
It’s indeed pathetic to observe Palestinian unable to lay their worries aside even on Eid el-Fitr. This is the day when Muslims come closer and strengthen the bonds between them. But in Palestine, factional infighting has chopped the nation into two distinct divisions. While Fatah is the more responsible and Hamas, that won the Palestinian elections recently, on the other isn’t welcomed by the West for its militant ideology.
In Gaza, there are sweets but there are also tears for the war between Muslims. But maybe, just maybe, on the occasion of Eid el-Fitr the Palestinians would realize that internal litigations would no longer help them in any way and that they need to unite to earn an independent State for themselves.
Image Source: Le Notre
Source: Reuters
