“We Will Destroy Al Aqsa, Mecca, and Islam”

In the heart of Gaza, Israel’s relentless bombardment is leaving an inerasable scar on Palestinian life, culture, and religion. According to CJ Werleman, Israel’s so-called war against Gaza is a genocidal campaign that seeks to erase all traces of Palestinian existence, both in part and in whole. This ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of more than 42,000 innocent civilians and left less than 10% of the land livable for over two million people. The assault, however, does not end with the physical destruction of homes and infrastructure. Israel’s attacks are aimed at the heart of Palestinian identity by targeting their predominant religion, Islam.

The destruction of over 90% of Gaza’s mosques serves as a glaring testament to this cultural and spiritual genocide. Over a thousand mosques have been wiped off the map, including the Great Mosque in Khan Younus, a structure older than France’s famed Notre Dame cathedral. The deliberate erasure of these sacred places is not just a tragedy for the Palestinian people; it is an attack on the global Muslim community. Imagine, as Werleman starkly contrasts, if a Muslim country had destroyed even one church or synagogue. The outcry would be deafening. But where is the world’s outrage for the systematic destruction of Gaza’s holy sites?

Israel’s actions go beyond Gaza and reach into a wider war against Islam. This global offensive is not limited to the physical destruction of mosques but includes a well-financed propaganda campaign designed to tie Islam to terrorism. With millions of dollars funneled from Israel and pro-Israel groups, anti-Muslim rhetoric is gaining traction in countries across Europe, the United States, and beyond. This campaign has deadly consequences, with a sharp rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes worldwide, and many Muslims being dehumanized as a direct result of Israel’s strategic efforts to undermine the growing popularity of Palestine.

This genocidal war is deeply rooted in a broader, Zionist-fueled agenda. As Werleman explains, the seeds were sown as early as 1979 when Israeli leaders sought to frame the Palestinian struggle for liberation as “Islamic terrorism,” an idea that has since spread globally. The narrative of Islam as a “political religion” has provided Western governments, particularly in the post-9/11 era, the political cover needed to justify violence against Muslims. This distortion of truth has not only fueled Islamophobia but also helped sustain Western support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.

Werleman’s exposé urges us to confront the devastating consequences of this propaganda and Israel’s role in fostering global anti-Muslim sentiment. As the Palestinian people continue to suffer under relentless attacks, it becomes imperative for the international community to acknowledge the gravity of Israel’s actions and the broader implications for Muslims worldwide. It is not just a war on land; it is a war on identity, faith, and the very existence of a people.