Former Pres. Ramotar calls on CARICOM to sever diplomatic ties with Israel

Oct 18, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – Former President, Donald Ramotar has urged the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to break diplomatic relations with Israel even as he criticized that 15-member bloc for what he described as a half-hearted condemnation of Israel for its assault on Gazans.

Ramotar’s statement cuts sharply across what his own party put out on the incident where it blamed both Israel and Hamas for the conflict. In a letter published by this newspaper on Tuesday, the former Guyanese leader said: “While I support Caricom’s statement, I do not believe that it went far enough. After all, our region is one of the last areas where colonisation flourished. How can we take the position of blaming both sides with a greater bias for the Israeli regime? I wish to urge Caricom leaders to show some backbone and denounce this war. I urge that the region breaks diplomatic relations with Israel. We must stand with the Palestinian people now!”

Last week, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in a statement said it abhors the attacks in Israel and the counterattacks in the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Further, Caricom said the savage nature of the attacks and counterattacks are the antithesis of civilised life and living, noting that 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. 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. Accordingly, CARICOM continues to support the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 and the ongoing efforts of the United Nations towards a two-state solution as the best way to achieve comprehensive peace, security and tranquility between Israel and Palestine.”

For its part, the PPP, for which Ramotar is an executive member, said it welcomes the swift response by CARICOM, noting that the October 9, 2023 statement by that body stressed that CARICOM joined “responsible members of the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire and the end of hostilities by all parties. CARICOM continues to support UNSC Res 242 and the ongoing efforts towards a two-state solution as the best way to achieve comprehensive peace, security and tranquility between Israel and Palestine.” Additionally, statements by world leaders have urged Israel to withdraw the evacuation order for over a million Palestinians and for it to not reoccupy Gaza as its own,” the statement read.

The PPP further stated that Hamas’ attack on Israel has resulted in the loss of over 1,400 lives, including that of women and children and that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 2,600 Palestinians, many of whom are children and women. “This violence against innocent civilians, on both sides, is unacceptable and the PPP unequivocally condemns it. Further, the Israeli air raids on Gaza have also resulted in the indiscriminate destruction of essential infrastructure, including UN centers, hospitals, and schools –all in flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws. At this dangerous juncture, there is a real threat that the conflict will escalate and engulf all of Palestine, as well as other parts of the Region.

“The People’s Progressive Party lends its unequivocal support to the statement by the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on October 13, 2023, in which he called on Israel to stop the evacuation order of over one million people from the Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world – “a territory already besieged under aerial bombardment without fuel, electricity, water and food.” The Secretary-General appealed to Israel to reconsider such actions, as it would have devastating humanitarian consequences.

DEAD SILENCE

Meanwhile, Ramotar also lashed out on civil society here saying he is “extremely disappointed to see the almost dead silence in our society as some of the worst human rights violation, ethnic cleansing and the horrific killings that is taking place in the Gaza Strip as Palestinians, men, women and children are dying like flies.”

Ramotar said that his sadness was deepened when, on October 11, 2023, he saw the Israeli Ambassador to Guyana’s letter in our main newspapers, saying that “this propaganda is in addition to the daily ‘kool-aid’ our people are forced to drink from the overwhelmingly pro US media which we are exposed to. The western media’s report of events in the Gaza area shows them blaming the victims for this terrible tragedy.  True, the most recent escalation occurred with Hamas Fighters attacking Israel on October 7th.  This surprise attack saw Israel suffer huge military casualty and tragically many civilians were killed.”

According to Ramotar, Israel is carrying on its murderous attacks on Palestinians because of the support and encouragement it gets from the powerful United States, noting that more than 25 percent of US aid goes to Israel. “It has helped Israel to build the fourth largest army in the world.  It has supplied it with the most modern military equipment.  Now this army is unleashed on a practically unarmed people – a people without tanks, planes etc. with what the Palestinians defend themselves comes mostly from ‘black market’ – knowing this, it is unconscionable for this war to be portrayed as a war between equals.”

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• CARICOM, diplomatic, Donald Ramotar, Former President, Tel Aviv

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