MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett told the National Assembly Thursday that the Guyana Government welcomes the news of the cease-fire between Israel and Palestine, noting that negotiation is the only viable means to bringing a mutually satisfying end to the conflict between the two countries.
The Government of Israel had on November 14 launched a military offensive in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, through a series of air strikes, resulting in injuries and more than 160 Palestinians killed, many of whom were women and children. There were some casualties in Israel.
The government had, on November 19, issued a statement condemning the act and calling for an immediate cease-fire which did in fact come into effect on November 21, following negotiations with Israel and Hamas involving other states, including the United States and Egypt.
Reading a policy statement on the eight days of fighting between the two nations, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett told the National Assembly that that negotiation is crucial in achieving a “two-state resolution necessary for achieving the goal of a secure Israel at peace with an independent Palestine free from occupation.”
The minister said that it is against this backdrop, and also in line with the good international relationship that exists between Guyana and both states, that the Government of Guyana ‘welcomes the cease fire that was announced yesterday, and hopes that this will provide a window of opportunity for renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at finding mutually satisfactory and sustainable solutions for peace in the Middle East.’
She stated, “Guyana will continue to support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General and the international community towards this end,” and urged that the National Assembly join in the “renewal of Guyana solidarity with the Palestine people in their just and legitimate struggle for self determination and statehood, and in the expression of the hope that the peoples of Palestine and Israel will soon be able to live in peace and dignity, in a secure and international recognised order.”
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett also called on the House to welcome the cease-fire and to express the hope that, “it will be maintained in the interest of safeguarding the lives of the people of Palestine and Israel”, and also to reiterate Guyana’s support for the effort of the international community to secure an end to this conflict, for a just and lasting peace in the middle east region in keeping with relevant resolution of the United Nations.
Guyana has long been supportive of the Palestinian fight for the full exercise of their human rights and also has been pushing for peace between the two states. Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that Guyana strongly supports the appeal made by the UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki-Moon, that reads: ‘to all those commanding, bearing and operating arms to remove and respect International Humanitarian Laws to ensure the protection of civilians at all time.’
The Foreign Minister said that Guyana’s solidarity with Palestine has been unwavering across the generations, and the administration’s evidence by its voting records at the United Nations. Guyana is also among the earliest members from the hemisphere to join the committee on the exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, which was established in 1975, and the first Caribbean country to recognise Palestine as a state on January 13, 2011. Guyana also has friendly and cooperative relations with Israel.