Palestinian Ambassador Blasts Israel Over Maritime Terrorism

The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Zimbabwe has strongly condemned the act of maritime piracy that has been blamed on the Israeli army forces against the Madaleen solidarity ship that was carrying vital aid to Gaza in international waters.

In a strongly worded statement, Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe,  Dr. Tamer Almassri denounced the act as “state-sponsored terrorism and maritime piracy, perpetrated by the Israeli genocidal state”.

“The international community must act with urgency,” Dr. Almassri said, highlighting the need for immediate action to stop Israel’s aggression. He called on the world to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity.

The diplomat expressed deep concern over the abduction of 12 volunteers, including renowned Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and French Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan.

“The world must not remain silent in the face of such clear violations of international law and human decency,” he stressed.

The Ambassador reiterated the State of Palestine’s demand for comprehensive sanctions against Israel’s settler-colonial system. He emphasized the need to hold accountable any entity promoting or engaging in systematic violence and land annexation in Palestine.

The Israeli Palestinian conflict began in the late 19th century with the rise of Zionism, a movement aiming to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. After World War 1, Britain occupied the region and issued the 1917 Balfour Declaration, promising to support a “Jewish Homeland” in Palestine. This led to increasing Jewish immigration, causing tensions with the Arab population.

The conflict remains ongoing, with periods of relative calm pantuated by outbreaks of violence. According to Almassri the conflict has killed 54 880 Palestinians since the start of the Israeli military action in Gaza with most of the victims being women and children.