Reading the Article titled ‘No Ceasefire yet in Israel-Palestine crisis’ it was very disturbing how the respondent twisted all the facts in an attempt to wipe the hands of the Israeli occupation forces from the blood that was shed last week in Occupied Palestine.
Surprisingly at the time this article was published, the headlines of Israeli mainstream media across the partisan spectrum were published with titles such as “Ceasefire” and “Truce”, which accurately reflect the developments achieved with the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt and backed by the UN.
It is a fact that the events that took place last week were triggered by Israel, the occupying power, when it committed the act of extrajudicial execution of one of the leaders of a Palestinian faction in the Gaza Strip. The illegality of the act has sufficiently been addressed by numerous UN and international law-related fora.
What the article failed to include, due to publishing schedules, was the killing a family of eight, of whom four were children, when their house was directly targeted by the occupation forces claiming that they acted on the assumption that it was vacant!
According to UN reports, this new chapter of aggression on the Palestinian people killed 34 civilians, eight of whom are children, as a result of Israel’s disproportionate and devastating use of force. More than 120 have been severely injured, half of them women and children.
The scale of Israel’s devastating military action has triggered wide condemnation across the entire region and the world. The EU has urged Israel to conduct a serious and transparent investigation that ensures accountability over these fatalities and destruction.
This horrifying reality is just another chapter in the occupation’s atrocities. Just last week an authentic video was released showing a Palestinian passerby complying with orders of the occupation forces and directed to proceed, only to be shot in back a few steps later. This is the tip of the horrifying iceberg that is exposed gradually by testimonies of an increasing number of remorseful Israeli soldiers in what is known as the “Breaking the Silence Group”.
I’m glad that the respondent has made the association between the Palestinian–Israeli conflict and the “friends” in East Africa. Israel continues to consciously ignore the reality that Africans too have suffered from foreign colonial occupation, and have endured a fierce and painful struggle for independence.
Just like Israeli officials today, the occupiers of African nations a few decades ago also described resistance movements with a rich selection of demonising designations, in an attempt to cover the ugly face of the occupation and human rights violations. It was only after achieving independence that African nations were able to proceed confidently with normalising relations with their former occupiers, in a new era built on the principles of mutual respect and equality.
I strongly believe that the African nations that have managed to end their colonisation and brought an end to apartheid, are in no need of a friend or foe to instruct them on what to think or do in this regard. Africans for many decades have proven to be the main pillar in international efforts aimed at promoting the universal principles of the right of self-determination and independence from foreign occupation.
There is no narrative that can hide the truth that Israel is a defiant occupying power according to all principles of International Law, and has and continues to be in flagrant violation of hundreds of Security Council and United Nations General assembly resolutions.
By the time that the editors hopefully consider publishing my right of reply, the world would have read about the passing of all key UN resolutions on Friday, November 15, relating to the Question of Palestine with an overwhelming majority of more than 150 votes in support of Palestinian rights, while Israel’s supporters range between two and less than a dozen.
A nation that disregards the clear will of more than 150 countries representing all continents should be more reluctant in moralising or advising other countries on conducting international relations.
Ambassador of the State of Palestine
