Israeli envoy slams Caricom statement

The Israeli ambassador to TT says he was left very disappointed by Caricom's statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict, saying there is no way the Caribbean Community could compare democratic Israel with the terrorist organisation Hamas.

During an online interview earlier this week with WESN – Content Capital host Ketan Singh, Itai Bar-Dov slammed Caricom, saying he could not fathom how the "unprovoked" attack on Israel on October 9 by Hamas militants could be viewed along the same lines as Israel's military response in its own defence.

In the statement, Caricom said it abhorred the attacks in Israel and the counter-attacks on the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip. Caricom said the savage attacks and counter-attacks were the antithesis of civilised life and living.

"Caricom thus joins the responsible members of the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire and end of hostilities by all parties."

The recent round of hostilities, the Caricom statement added, reflected the pain and suffering of ancient quarrels.

"The ongoing harsh conditions under which Palestinians live in veritable colonialism and Israel’s sense of insecurity will contribute to a cycle of violence until those realities are definitively addressed," the statement said.

Caricom said it continues to support the UN Security Council's Resolution 242 and the ongoing efforts of the UN towards a two-state solution, as the best way to achieve comprehensive peace, security and tranquillity between Israel and Palestine.

Resolution 242, according to online search site Wikipedia, calls for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the 1967 conflict, without specifying the extent of the withdrawal. The resolution, therefore, neither commands nor prohibits total withdrawal.

Resolution 242 was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967, in the aftermath of the Six-Day War.

During his interview with WESN's Ketan Singh, Ambassador Bar-Dov said of the Caricom statement, "I think this was an automatic response. You cannot refer to attacks on both sides. This was an unprovoked attack (by Hamas) against peaceful communities within Israel's territories."

He reiterated that the attacks by Hamas were something Israel could not accept.

"Also, we cannot (accept) this comparison of both sides.

"Would Caricom allow any Caribbean nation to be threatened by such an entity which in any minute can come and slaughter hundreds of thousands of its population?

"How can you speak about 'both sides'?

"We are a democratic state. We are for peace, we gave up vast pieces of land (to other Middle East states) for the sake of peace.

"This comparison of the two sides has to end. It has to end. There is no comparison between a democratic peace-loving, sovereign state and a terrorist organisation, whether it is ISIS or Hamas.

"That comparison is just ludicrous and that statement (by Caricom) was very disappointing."