By Wallace Mawire.
Harare – The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Zimbabwe has unequivocally condemned the recent draconian measures imposed by apartheid Israel on the West Bank, including a strict lockdown with checkpoints and iron gates restricting the movement and dividing Palestinian cities, making them bantustans worse than those during the apartheid era of South Africa.
The Ambassador said the actions represent a severe escalation of Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, further exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis, coupled with its hijacking of Palestinian funds.
He said the world bore witness to another horrific act of violence as Israeli forces opened fire on crowds of desperate Palestinians awaiting humanitarian aid in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip.
At least 60 Palestinians were reportedly killed and hundreds more were critically injured in the barbaric attack. He said the unconscionable act underscores Israel’s utter disregard for human life and international law.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri has reiterated that Israel has intensified its atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank since it started its regional war to shield itself from the crimes it is committing in Palestine.
He urged the international community to recognize that Israel’s actions are motivated by a desire to distract from its own criminal behavior and to maintain its illegitimate occupation of Palestinian territory. He said the imposition of a strict lockdown, coupled with the indiscriminate targeting of civilians seeking aid, demonstrates a clear intent to collectively punish and systematically oppress the Palestinian population.
The State of Palestine also called upon the international community, including the United Nations, human rights organizations, and all nations committed to justice and peace, to immediately intervene and demand an end to Israel’s genocide and to take concrete action to lift the siege on Gaza, ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, and hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity. He said the silence of the world in the face of such egregious violations of international law is complicity.
According to the Ambassador, the on-going aggression has now resulted in more than 184,000 casualties, dead and wounded with the overwhelming majority being innocent children and women. He said over 11,000 people remain missing under the rubble, and are presumed dead. The Ambassador said the staggering figures are a testament to the scale of the atrocities being committed daily by the Israeli occupation forces.