Palestine/Gaza issues should be top priority of world leaders

THE Progressive Youth Organisation of Guyana (PYO), The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) all joined voices yesterday, requesting that the United States Government lead the way in calling for Israel to implement a ceasefire and end its attacks on the people of Palestine and Gaza.

During a picketing exercise yesterday morning targeting the United States Embassy in Georgetown, President of the Central Islamic Organisation, Fazel Ferouz, said the actions of Israel ares being supported by the United States Government through the supply of weapons and finance.

Ferouz described the Israel State as a “ruthless, murderous machine” which is committing an offence on defenceless men, women and children in Gaza. The claim that the young people killed in West Bank met their demise by the hand of persons in Gaza is unjustified and without evidence, Ferouz told the Chronicle during an interview.

The killing of defenceless women, children and men has been ongoing for the past two weeks, with more than one thousand lives being lost, the CIOG president lamented.

He said the protest was not a Muslim thing, but was rather humanitarian, since persons other than Muslims are living in Palestine.
The grouping called for a ceasefire and for both countries to return to the bargaining table. According to Ferouz the issues between the two nations should once again be placed on the front burner of world governments.

Anything other than dialogue between the two countries would continue to see the two nations at loggerheads, and lives will continue to be lost, Ferouz stated.

Although the protest was aimed at getting the attention of the United States Embassy, the police did not have a hard task restricting the protestors to High Street, Kingston in front of the Umana Yana, causing them not to make their way onto Young Street where the US Embassy is Located.

On the ground to maintain law and order were Deputy Commander of A Division, Dion Moore, and his traffic officer, who ensured the free flow of traffic.

The protestors were distributing to passers-by flyers and information leaflets with the groups’ position on the situation in Gaza.

Progressive Youth Organisation member Ghomatie Kalicharan told the Guyana Chronicle that the situation in Gaza is uncalled for and does not need to be prolonged.

She said the destruction of homes, lives and properties is also causing huge devastation among Palestinian families.

(By Leroy Smith)