Israeli Strikes on Gaza: This Time Round on a Cultural Centre
Imagine how it would feel if that one place that you love visiting gets destroyed or demolished and it is no more. The place that used to inspire you, made you relax and have fun or made you have a visual picture of how you will achieve your dreams, a place that was literally your motivation is brought down into pieces and you can no longer visit it. What happened to the good times you had there? And most importantly, what happens to the motivation you obtained from that particular place? Sad, huh?
That is exactly how Palestinians, art lovers and artists residing in Palestine might feel right now after that a Palestinian Cultural Centre in Gaza, the Al-Meshal Foundation, which houses the region’s second largest theatre, was destroyed by Israeli military forces a few days ago. The five-floor office housed a library, an Egyptian Community Centre, offices for cultural associations and a theatre for arts. It was definitely a place that had many visitors because of its attractive features. But why would such a great building be brought down? Well the Israeli Defence Forces targeted the structure as an alleged Hamas headquarters.
Just to point out a lot has been happening recently and even more this year between Palestinians and Israelis; there has been use of tear gas and bullets, property has been damaged but the saddest part of the story is that lives have been lost; lives that will never be recovered. The destruction of the Al –Meshal foundation has now led to injury of 18 Gazan civilians and destruction of buildings surrounding the centre. Clearly peace needs to restore in Gaza, it really needs to.
The defence forces thought that the cultural centre was the Hamas headquarters and its spokesman said that the destruction was an expression of the Force’s intelligence and will expand and intensify if necessary. On the other hand Hamas said that the Israeli Defence Forces identified the wrong building, because their actual headquarters are located across the street from the cultural centre which is now history. Wow! Is this a win situation for Hams and a big loss for Israeli Defence Forces? If indeed it was a mistaken identity and the forces missed their target, it is still too bad because the cultural centre is no longer there, its daily activities have been erased; the damage is already done and those who used to visit ths place just have to deal with the fact that it is no longer there.
Al-Meshal existed as one of few operating cultural centers in Palestine and attracted art lovers, book lovers on the other hand also had a place in the library; basically the centre had so many things under one roof, it had a great impact on the people who visited it and its destruction has brought frowns to the faces of many. According to the Palestine’s health ministry, three Palestinians have been killed; a pregnant woman, a toddler and a Hamas militant. The only hope that Palestinians have left is that peace will restore and restore in abundance.
The only hope that Palestinians have left is that peace will restore and restore in abundance.lovers.