Palestine Commends Zimbabwe

The oppressed nation of Palestine is still struggling for international recognition. After over 63 years of occupation, the Israeli state maintains tight controls over the movement of millions of Arabs inside the country., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Palestine commends Zim

Thursday, 28 March 2013 00:00
Herald Reporter

Palestine has commended Zimbabwe for its political support in its quest to become an independent state. The Middle East country is under occupation from Israel, which is supported by western countries mainly the United States of America.

Presenting a public lecture at the National Defence College in Harare yesterday, Palestinian ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Hashem Dajani said there was a need to strengthen the relationship between the two countries that started during Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence.

“I want to express our appreciation to President Robert Mugabe, to the people and Government of Zimbabwe for the political support given to our Palestine people in their struggles,” he said.

“The Palestine-Zimbabwe relations of friendship, support and solidarity go back to the days of the struggle for independence and it continues to grow stronger. We share almost the same vision on different issues within the framework of different forums, like the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement global economy and many others.”

Mr Dajani was confident that the Palestinian people would continue fighting to realise “their national objectives, freedom and independence.”

“Your support for us in our national struggle will accelerate realisation of peace and victory and avert our people and the region from new wars and disasters,” he said.

He described Zimbabwe as a “united nation” as evidenced by the recently held constitutional referendum. “To me the referendum was successful and it showed that the people of Zimbabwe, without interference, are united. It is clear that the unity displayed during the referendum will prevail during the elections expected soon,” he said.

He said most Israeli political parties, with unlimited support from the US, had systemically denied the Palestinian people their most basic rights.

“It is Israel that occupies the four million people in the State of Palestine. It is Israel that has condemned more than five million Palestinians to exile,” he said.

“It is Israeli occupation of Palestine that constitutes the main source of violence and instability in the region.Justice seems to have no meaning in the Israeli political lexicon unless it is in relation to Israeli Jewish citizens. This fact can be attested to by I,5 million Christian and Muslim Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship and yet face institutionalised discrimination within Israel itself and incitement against Palestinians is on the rise.”

Mr Dajani said the international community expressed its desire to have peace in the Middle East but this was being derailed by Israel that occupied many Palestinian areas.

“Most Israeli politicians are bent on confiscating the last hope for a two-state solution. Most Israeli political parties are guilty of the deliberate omission of peace from their agenda,” he said. “They talk about negotiations when they mean dictation. They talk about managing the occupation rather than putting an end to it.”

While there is a global consensus for a two-state solution, the main Israeli electoral list sees no room in historic Palestine two states. This is despite 60 United Nations resolutions, international humanitarian law and the most basic moral imperatives.”

He said the new Israeli cabinet, formed two weeks ago, would never bring the much needed peace in the region.

“It is just a matter of reviewing the platforms of the various Israeli political parties,” Mr Dajani said.

“Almost every single Zionist party has promised to continue with the policies of colonial expansion, to tighten the isolation of occupied east Jerusalem from the rest of Palestine, and to focus on managing the occupation rather than on making peace. This formula is a sure recipe for disaster for both Israelis and Palestinians.”