scenes at the Al-Nakba Day ccommemorations in Harare
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri has paid tribute to the support of Zimbabweans following the continued attacks of his people by the Israeli forces.
His Excellency Almassri described as appalling, the continued occupation and Israeli aggression which has led to the death of 53 000 Palestinians.
He revealed this on Thursday at the Palestinian Embassy in Harare, during the commemorations of the Al-Nakba Day or The Catastrophe.
The Al-Nakba Day held on May 15, is the remembrance of the displacement of Palestinians from their land to pave way for the creation of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948.
It is estimated that about 2,2 million Palestinians have been displaced as a result of the occupation by Israel.
“The solidarity is very important and we highly appreciate that solidarity we receive in the world and also I want to mention the solidarity that we receive from our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe is not only a country for us, Zimbabwe is a twin country and the struggle that we were together with Zimbabwe national movement fighting against the apartheid regime in what was called Southern Rhodesia.
“We are proud that we got great support and solidarity from the leadership of Zimbabwe led by Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa with his colleague in leadership and government,” said Ambassador Almassri.
Further commenting on the war in Gaza, Ambassador Almassri said “everything has been destroyed,” adding “we are proud we have great support from Zimbabwe.”
In its solidarity remarks made by Sheikh Henry Balakazi, the Zimbabwe-Palestine Solidarity Council said, “the days of rhetoric and lip service solidarity are over.”
Said Sheikh Balakazi: “the time for action-oriented solidarity has come. The Al-Nakba is not a moment, it is an ongoing crime.
“As we commemorate 72 years since the Al-Nakba, we must understand that we are united.
“One truth that the oppressed around the world know intimately, the Al-Nakba never ended.
“It was not a single event in 1948. It is a continuous brutal settler colonial process of occupation, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid that persists to this day.”
Sheikh Balakazi further reiterated that whilst the people of Palestine continue to suffer, the international community has remained silent.
“A silence that screams complicity, the United Nations issues statements but takes no action.
“Western governments send weapons not food and some African governments dare to speak of normalizing relations with the Israeli settler colonial entity as if normalizing apartheid ethnic cleansing and genocide is acceptable under any moral or a revolution standard.
“Let it be recorded clearly and loudly today that normalizing relations with the Zionist settler colonial entity is a betrayal of the Palestinian people, it is a betrayal of our African revolutionary history and a complete violation of founding principles of the organization of African Unity which was built on the pillars of anti-colonialism, pan-Africanism and solidarity with the oppressed people everywhere,” added Sheikh Balakazi.
He called on trade unions to cut all ties with Israeli entities and institutions, further urging youth and student organizations, to demand academic boycotts of Israeli universities that support the occupation.
And Sheikh Balakazi also called on faith-based organizations to speak boldly from their pulpits against the injustice.
The event was attended by several friends of Palestine and other solidarity remarks were given by the Women Writers Support Network, Zimbabwe School of Diplomacy, Shoulder to Shoulder, amongst others.
