Zim doesn’t deserve sanctions, says Palestinian diplomat
THE imposition of sanctions on Zimbabwe is unfair as it has not wronged anyone, while Israel remains unsanctioned after 74 years of killing, injuring and destroying houses of Palestinians, Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe Tamer Almassri said on Thursday.
He was speaking during the 74th anniversary of the Alnakba Day ( Catastrophe) when Israel seized large areas of Palestine with large Arab majorities and with large numbers of Palestinians fleeing as refugees.
The commemorations were attended by representatives from the Palestinian Embassy and a Zimbabwean civic organisation called shoulder to shoulder with Palestine.
“Israeli crimes against civilians should be stopped and should be investigated forthwith. The solidarity with the Palestinian people, especially nowadays, should be raised and should be common everywhere because we are defending our rights, existence in our country and our identity,” said Amb Almassri.
“The Israeli occupation should be stopped; they are not above the international community. I cannot understand how after 74 years of aggression, killing, arresting, demolishing and racism, no sanctions have been imposed against Israel: no punishment at all.
“It is not reasonable but we see a peaceful country like Zimbabwe suffering from sanctions.”
Ambassador Almassri said Zimbabwe has never attacked any country, threatened anybody or killed its citizens yet it had sanctions imposed on it.
Shoulder to shoulder with Palestine chairperson Mr Henry Ngara said people need to have a better understanding of the Alnakba Day.
“We are raising awareness in Zimbabwe through different programmes that we are doing with the young people and together with tertiary institutions and other stakeholders,” he said.
“We support and we fully are in solidarity with the people of Palestine, with the catastrophes that they continue to face even up to today.
“We note that this did not happen today, it happened in 1948 but up to today, Palestinian people are still facing apartheid. So we thought it was necessary to work together with the Embassy of the State of Palestine and raise awareness about this catastrophe.”
At the moment, there is an outpouring of rage at Israel after one of its soldiers shot and killed from point blank range a Palestinian, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was an Al Jazeera correspondent.
Abu Akleh was killed while on duty in Jenin, Palestine, on Tuesday.
In yet another dehumanising act, Israel security forces beat up a crowd of mourners carrying Abu Akleh’s coffin yesterday, ahead of funeral in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinians gathered for the funeral service, before Abu Akleh’s body was taken to the Mount Zion Protestant Cemetery, where she was buried alongside her late parents yesterday afternoon.