…“no space” for leaders who preside over slaughtering of innocent people – Ali
Calling attention to all the incidents of war and violence around the world, particularly the recent violence in Israel and Palestine, President Dr Irfaan Ali has added his voice to the calls for ceasefire, while contending that there can be no justification for the slaughter of innocent people.
At the time addressing local and regional policy-makers during the opening day of a three-day forum on gender empowerment and equality, being held by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security at the Marriott Hotel, the President noted the urgency of bringing light to the situation, and questioned why more countries were not calling for a ceasefire.
“It would be a great injustice that such a high-level forum is being held and we don’t recognize the single most global crisis that women and children are facing in Palestine, Ukraine and Haiti — one in our own region; and to understand the prospect the next generations will face as a result of this,” President Ali said.
“Just like the war in Ukraine — senseless war, taking so many lives — would have brought hardship on us, and we in this region face the hardship in a disproportionate manner, this one too will bring hardship. We don’t know where the prices for fuel will end up. We don’t know where this war will end up. At a minimum… why can’t this world collectively call for a ceasefire?” he declared.
The Head of State made it clear that there can be no justification for acts of terror. And in a poignant statement, he emphasised that “there is absolutely no space globally for anyone to be considered a leader who presides over the suffering of men, women and children.”
President Ali also made reference to the recent resignation of the Director of the United Nations’ (UN) New York office, Craig Mokhiber, whose letter criticizing the UN’s handling of the Israel/Palestine conflict was widely publicised. According to President Ali, this is a case that is symptomatic of a system that is failing the people.
“The system is failing us. And if we don’t recognize the system is failing us, then we are in serious problems. Recently I did an analysis, over the aid over 60 years to Haiti versus the aid over two years to the war in Ukraine and 20 years of hardship in Palestine. I received many calls from around the world,” he said.
“The system is failing us. Not the people in the system; the people in the system are taught to follow the system. But recently I saw the resignation of one person in the system. I think he was the Director of Human Rights from the UN. That is making global news. One person in the system decides he will not be shaped by the system,” the President said.
The Caribbean Community (Caricom) had called for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel/Palestine conflict in the early days of the conflict: last month, when fresh fighting had broken out and claimed thousands of lives on both sides of the border. Caricom had condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel, as well as Israel’s counter-attacks on Palestinian territory in Gaza.
The attacks and counter-attacks were described in a statement by Caricom as “the antithesis of civilized life and living.”
“Innocent lives are being lost amidst the fervour and violence of the actual combatants. Caricom thus joins the responsible members of the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire and end of hostilities by all parties,” Caricom had said.
“The recent round of hostilities reflects the pain and suffering of ancient quarrels. The ongoing harsh conditions under which the Palestinians live in veritable colonialism, and Israel’s sense of insecurity, will contribute to a cycle of violence until those realities are definitively addressed,” Caricom had said.
Further, Caricom had thrown its support behind the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 242. Resolution 242 was adopted in 1967, and it calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied territories.
Additionally, it acknowledges the claim of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of every state in the region, while calling on the UN Secretary General to appoint an envoy to facilitate an acceptable solution to the conflict.
The violence between Israel and Palestine this year flared up in January, when Gaza militants fired rockets after an Israeli raid in the West Bank. Israel responded with air strikes. A ceasefire that took effect in May ended, and in September, Israel attacked Hamas in a series of drone strikes after their troops were fired on.
On Tuesday, reports coming out of Gaza had put the death toll of Palestinians well over 8000. On the other hand, the death toll of Israelis has been put at 1400. (G3)
