The sane people in the world call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza before the conflict escalates into a full-scale war. The street demonstrations are taking place across the globe and peace-loving people in Israel and the United States too came out in large numbers calling for cessation of violence and immediate talks for a lasting solution to the vexed question, a demand supported by the vast majority of people in the world. There is widespread support for an agreement on recognition of states of Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Gaza.
As Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena spelled out Sri Lanka’s consistent policy is that there should be an immediate ceasefire by both sides, and they should enter into a dialogue. The relationships among global powers are strained and the international community must work together to maintain a stable geopolitical system.
Sri Lanka also expressed the hope that extreme reactions from different parts of the world should not dominate the discourse and that alternative solutions should be explored, including the possibility of a four-state solution involving Israel, Palestine, Gaza, and Lebanon.
This policy is of extreme importance considering that Arab leaders are scheduled to meet on Sunday (Nov 12) to discuss the situation. Following a meeting between foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia called an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as the number of deaths from the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has surpassed 10,000. The meeting is intended to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to an OIC statement. The president of Iran has already stated that he will be attending the meeting.
Sri Lanka warned the warring parties to agree on a ceasefire because a war involving all the Arab countries would be disastrous, not only for the Middle East but also for the entire world.
Sri Lanka voted for the United Nations General Assembly resolution in accordance with the consistent policy of supporting the rights of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, it is the policy followed for decades as a member of the Nonaligned Movement. Calling for peace and nonviolence is not a new policy for Sri Lanka as the country keeps its neutrality in international power games while extending a hand of friendship to all the members of the global community.
Hence, Sri Lanka is extremely concerned about the escalation of violence in Gaza. The Government of Sri Lanka share the deep concern expressed by the United Nations and its call for an immediate cessation of violence.
The conflict got unfolded with Hamas attacks on Israel, and the world’s initial sympathies were with Israel, including Sri Lanka, which traditionally supported Palestine.
Then Israel’s call for over a million people in Gaza to move to the south has created an alarming situation.
Sri Lanka denounces terrorism in all forms. The Hamas attack as well as Israel’s order for over one million people to vacate North Gaza has been drawing condemnation from various countries and organizations, including the United Nations.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed concern over the global geopolitical implications of the conflict. He urged the affected parties to adopt a fresh approach to solving the conflict peacefully through negotiations.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said two years ago when he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs that Sri Lanka has always stood with Palestine and its commitment towards the Palestinian people will remain undiminished at all times. During his meeting with the ambassadors of Arab countries in Colombo at the foreign relations ministry on June 8, 2021, he affirmed that Sri Lanka would continue to follow a non-aligned foreign policy and adhere to the decisions of the Non-Aligned Movement regarding the Arab world, especially the Palestinian question.
He recalled that Sri Lanka had consistently supported the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and their right to an independent, sovereign state based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Sri Lanka, together with other nations of the Global South always stood with Palestine and voted for UN resolutions condemning Israeli atrocities in the Gaza Strip. In a rare moment of solidarity, both the government and the opposition have condemned Israeli acts of human rights violations against the Palestinian people, including women and children.
When the issue was discussed in Parliament, speaker after speaker voiced anger at these developments, as well as at the hypocrisy of the Western political and media establishment. The so-called giants of free press, including the New York Times, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal played up the initial attacks on Israel by the Hamas but were indifferent to horrendous attacks by Israelis on Gaza and the eviction of masses to the Southern part by force.
The fact remains that in 1967 Israel colonised the Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, West Bank and a few other areas of Palestinian people and territory of Arab neighbours including Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan. By and large, the Global South is aware of this truthful historical fact, though Western media and commentators choose not to see it or deliberately ignore it.
The Global South was taken by surprise over India’s sudden change of policy with regard to the current conflict. India changed its consistent policy and abstained from voting at the UN resolution, saying it condemns terrorism of all forms. India’s decision is definitely a setback for the Nonaligned Movement. It will also affect New Delhi’s relationship with Muslim countries and cause an impact on India’s muck appreciated policy of secularism. Explaining India’s vote, External Affairs Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar said that India’s vote was consistent with its stand on terrorism, adding that India takes a strong position on it because Indians are “big victims of terrorism”.
India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Yojna Patel, went further, saying that the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas were shocking and called for the immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas. She also said the casualties in Gaza are a continuing concern, and the humanitarian crisis needs to be addressed.
However, she added that India has not changed its consistent stand on Palestine, including support for a negotiated two-state solution leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders, side-by-side in peace with Israel. To achieve this, India urged the parties to de-escalate, eschew violence and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations.
