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Won't accept Israel as a state: Mirza Gohar Rasheed, Ushna Shah, others stand firmly with Palestine

Many Pakistani celebrities are taking to their socials to resolutely stand against genocide

Entertainment Desk October 24, 2023

Pakistani celebrities are speaking up about the atrocities inflicted on Palestine by Israel with renewed fervour. Sharing feed posts on Instagram and taking to X, tackling misinformation and amplifying the dwindling number of stories coming out of Palestine, local stars are standing with Palestine - firmly and resolutely.

Sharing a video of a Palestinian child with a cat, Armeena Khan shared, "Cute little [Palestinian] baby sharing his food with a cat. I pray he is okay because this video is at least a year old. Children have beautiful hearts and we all own them as humans and are responsible for their well-being." In another post on Instagram, Armeena shared a heartbreaking image of a Palestinian child's will.

"The way my soul shattered with this final blow to my heart," she penned alongside in the accompanying caption. "I don’t think I will recover from this in years to come. Little kids writing their wills. This is possibly the saddest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life and look at how they want their worldly possessions to be distributed - and they have very little. I pray for these innocent, beautiful souls to be protected from the evil that has descended on them. But I have hope, for every dark night gives way to a bright morning. I hope their morning comes soon."

Sharing yet another video of the destruction in Palestine due to Israeli attacks, Armeena wrote, "'I told him that I did not believe that they could burn people in our age, that humanity would never tolerate it...' - Elie Wiesel. This quote haunts me because I know the author and the context. I have visited the places where sorrow and suffering from nearly 100 years ago still looms, it is in the air. And now history is repeating itself and I am hearing those screams again which will continue to haunt the 'human' in us for eternity."

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A post shared by Armeena Khan (@armeenakhanofficial)

Actor Yasir Hussain took to his Instagram feed to share a Palestinian flag, stating in Urdu, "Every dark night has its morning. And, God willing, the morning will come." Mirza Gohar Rasheed posted an image of the Palestinian flag, penning alongside, "For the past nearly 75 years you have tried all your might on Palestine. You have antagonised the media, used high-technology weapons on innocent children, and tried colonising, genocide, and ethnic cleansing and yet you are struggling. Get the point, you can't win!"

He continued, "You can kill a Muslim but you can’t kill their faith and spirit. The world will remember the Palestinian sacrifice because few stood against many. I will not accept Israel as a state. Because to the global south, you are just a bunch of people with weapons."

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A post shared by Yasir Hussain (@yasir.hussain131)

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A post shared by Mirza Gohar (@mirzagoharrasheed)

Ushna Shah, who has been extremely vocal on X and Instagram, took to share a post sharing a disclaimer about posting work-related material, given that businesses "must proceed with their scheduled releases." However, she also shared her post from the site formerly known as Twitter, highlighting what one can do to help the Palestinian cause during these times. Suggesting things like placing pressure on one's government, sharing information on socials, and amplifying key voices, she wrote alongside, "Support [Palestine] until it’s free, even after it stops trending. Even after ceasefire (if that even happens). Don’t let their blood be in vain."

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A post shared by Ushna Shah-Amin (@ushnashah)

American singer and songwriter Kehlani, who has been exceptionally vocal about the ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel, went on to share a series of Instagram Stories, in which she penned her heartbreak and disdain pertaining to the situation, as well as the response from her peers. "No matter how many times a day throughout this, we scream: standing with Palestine [is not equal to] antisemitism, and Judaism [is not equal to] Zionism. And yet, there is such a desperation to conjoin the two. When so many Jews, Rabbis even, are standing with Palestine and making it very clear genocide is something that is completely unprincipled in Judaism! Do not put words in my mouth."

She continued, "Can't compute with any bit of my mind how you see people be bombed for two weeks straight and simultaneously starve and die of thirst and untreated injuries from those bombs, and you find it in you to still defend the other side. How you fix your lips. I cannot compute. My brain breaks trying to understand. I feel like I'm glitching trying to f-----g possibly wrap my mind around how you can compare numbers...that don't add up...Decades of trauma, that doesn't add up...The sheer difference of what's happening on one side of that wall and the other...And you find it justifiable. A lot of you are animals. A lot of you couldn't possibly be human. A lot of you - monsters, devils. I don't want to know any of you."

Without holding back, the singer said further, "Zionists [messaging] me, 'You wouldn't know what it's like because you don't live here.' I click on your page... You're living well. You're eating and drinking, cute lunches, eight cocktails even. In your unbombed house. On stolen land. Today, right now, going to pretty restaurants...Hanging out with friends. You guys even have the ability to mourn your dead with candles and vigils...What is there to understand? The picture paints itself. The story is writing itself. It is night and day."

She went on to state, "And so many reaching out to say, 'Channel your anger,' 'put it in the art.' How about we just use our anger right now? How bout we just be angry? What if what is required for people to stop dying is collectively expressed anger at all the death? What if anger is the right response to genocide? I don't equate anger with enacted violence. I'm not feeling violent. I'm too full of sorrow to be violent. The anger is ever present. I say we let it be. If I was bombed today, I would hope all my loved ones and perhaps strangers would stand in their anger and fight for my humanity to be recognised by the world." Adamant in her line of reasoning, Kehlani questioned, "How does your heart not ache?"

Praising the unwavering faith of Muslims in Palestine, she said, "Also watching Muslim faith remain unwavering through all of this pain has been such a bittersweet beautiful nod to what faith and true connection to God is. Watching people in the face of true horror remain so deeply, deeply devoted. Inspired by all of you. Hugging all of you. Holding all of you. If I could let everyone cry in my lap, I would, I swear. I only have one lap and two arms but man, they are super wide open trying to squeeze everyone at once. You all are heroic." The singer also emphasised the importance of dedicating posts in solidarity with Palestine, showing Instagram a united front.