NAM top officials call for stand on Israel war crimes in Gaza

Already denounced as a genocide against the people of Palestine in a suit filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a number of delegates who spoke on January 15 asked that the war be placed on the summit’s list of top issues to consider.

As the death toll rises every day, the horrific bombardment of Gaza has so far claimed the lives of thousands of children, women and men since hostilities broke out last October. Thousands more have been maimed or suffered sickening, life-threatening injuries.

Yesterday’s session at the newly-built Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo was attended by senior officials from NAM member states. The meeting was encouraged by the submissions from several country delegates for the summit to take a stand on the destruction of Gaza being perpetrated by Israel.  

The delegates called for the war to be included in what is known as the ‘Outcome Document’ that should form the basis of higher level talks at later stages of the summit.

Speaking one after the other, delegates from Algeria, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Mauritania and Lebanon, among others, all threw their weight behind Palestine, the Arab state now being bombed to smithereens by Israel’s armed forces. 

Several cities in the country’s Gaza Strip have been reduced to rubble following more than 100 days of indiscriminate carpet bombing by the Israeli army. More than 23,000 civilians have been killed in the attacks.

Schools, hospitals and refugee camps have all been targeted in the ruthless campaign. Officially, Israel’s government says this is in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 raid on parts of Israel by the Arab militant group, Hamas in which 1,300 Israelis were killed and hundreds taken hostage. No one has been spared; civilians, hundreds of aid workers, including medics, and also journalists have died and continue to die in attacks launched by Israeli ground troops, sea and air forces.

World media daily reports that thousands of people who have been forced out of their homes are on the verge of starvation as Israel restricts humanitarian relief and ignores global calls for a ceasefire. 

For years, NAM has taken the view that a two state solution is the answer to the protracted conflict, dating back to 1948, between Palestine and Israel.

Yesterday, Iran’s delegate told the senior officials’ meeting, which precedes the conference of foreign ministers later in the week that this summit must “focus on the important issue of Palestine”.

“We should focus on… the daily massacre of children and women in Gaza,” the official said.

He was backed by the delegate from Pakistan who said, “we fully support and this organisation (NAM) should lend its full weight to the people of Palestine”. 

From Algeria, the view was the same with their official representative following the same script in reference to an earlier meeting in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan that has been chairing NAM until Uganda was chosen to take over.

“We support the proposal, not to re-open the Baku document unless there is a technical update, but of course taking into account the developments in Palestine which is obviously one of the important developments since [our] July meeting”. 

Egypt agreed too, submitting that: “[we] agree for us to retain the Baku document, with very few exceptions and that is the Palestinian question. There is a very aggressive war against our brothers in the Gaza Strip and they are of course members of NAM”.  Another official from Morocco added his country’s voice to these preliminary suggestions on what NAM must do for Palestine during this meeting of its 120 member states.

“I would like to support the proposal that we adopt the Baku final document...what we need is for it to just be updated; we take the war of Gaza  and put it in,” the delegate said.

More pointedly, Palestinian delegate, Mr Riyad Mansour, who is ambassador of the State of Palestine at the United Nations, appealed for more direct support from NAM for his war-wracked country.

“I was hoping we can convert the conference into one that is in solidarity with the Palestinian people. I believe it will be. The onslaught and aggression that we are facing for 100 days is unprecedented and I know that the Movement that supported Palestine from the beginning will continue to support Palestine until we put an end to this tragedy and accomplish the rights of the Palestinian people,” Mr Mansour said.

According to Mr Mansour, three key issues: an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian assistance and a strong stance against war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by Israel, including the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland, should be endorsed by the Movement. 

Adding that: “We have a toll before us and we also support the historic position of South Africa in going to the ICJ on the subject of genocide, we will be waiting for the ruling of the court at the end of the month. We will study it and decide collectively the steps we have to take… We thank you in advance for standing with the Palestinian people”.

Already, indications are that the Gaza conflict, which threatens to suck in Lebanon where the pro-Hamas Hezbollah militant political group is engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Israel, will be a key issue during this summit. 

A NAM position condemning Israel’s actions would be a diplomatic coup for Palestine which has, until now, suffered setbacks in its decades’ long bid to fully enjoy its rights as a sovereign state. Recent attempts last year at the United Nations to get a resolution on a humanitarian ceasefire have been thwarted as the US and some its western allies repeatedly blocked the efforts through vetoes in the UN Security Council.

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Sub Editor: Johnson Mayamba