Jamaica must explain its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS) strongly objects to the Jamaican Government’s recent vote against Israel in the September 17, 2024 UN General Assembly Resolution, which called for an end to Israel’s so-called “unlawful occupation” of Palestinian territories.

Jamaica was one of 124 countries that supported this resolution. Fourteen countries voted against, and 43 abstained.

Israel’s presence in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem stems from the preemptive defensive war of 1967, when Israel was attacked by surrounding Arab nations. Under international law, land acquisition in a defensive war is not automatically illegal.

UN Security Council Resolution 242 (of November 1967) did not mandate Israel’s withdrawal from all captured territories, but left room for negotiations to guarantee secure borders for Israel. It is important to acknowledge Israel’s persistent struggles to defend itself against enemies and terrorist regimes on its borders.

Nevertheless, in 2005, Israel removed all settlers and troops from Gaza, resulting in its eventual takeover by the terrorist organisation, Hamas. Hamas explicitly called for the destruction of Israel in its founding charter and has used international donations given through the UN, for the welfare of the Palestinian people, to buy weapons and build terror tunnels to accomplish this objective.

The most vicious attack was executed on October 7, 2023, where over 1,200 people, mostly Israelis, were brutally murdered, including women, children and babies. Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages.

In our view, forcing Israel to withdraw from disputed territories, while Hamas holds their citizens hostage and without any security guarantees, is unrealistic, blatantly unjust, and dangerous. This fact is particularly compelling when one considers that Israel is a tiny country, roughly twice the size of Jamaica, with a population of approximately nine million. The surrounding 21 Arab nations span a staggering 13 million square kilometres and are home to over 420 million people.

Despite this enormous disparity in land and population, Israel remains the primary focus of condemnation in international fora like the UN.

SPIRITUAL COMPONENT

The heart of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is not primarily about borders or land; it has deep spiritual and existential roots. Israel is in a battle for survival in a region where its right to exist has been continually challenged. For extremist groups, like Hamas, the conflict is a religious war aimed at eradicating the Jewish state, not simply about ending ‘occupation’.

As such, these groups have rejected numerous peace offers, including the two-state solution proposed multiple times since 1948.

To understand Israel’s defence of its people and land, the spiritual component should not be overlooked.

The accusation that Israel is an occupying colonial power is entirely untrue. Israel’s deep historical and spiritual connection to the land stretches back more than 3,000 years. The Jewish state was re-established by international consensus in 1948, and labelling it an ‘occupier’ of its ancestral homeland is historically and legally inaccurate.

Israel is also the only democracy in the Middle East, a region where 1.8 million Arab citizens live within its borders. In contrast, most neighbouring Arab states severely restrict Jewish populations. How can we vote against the one Middle Eastern state that provides democratic freedoms to all its citizens?

REQUESTING CLEAR STATEMENT

Finally, we believe Jamaica’s long-standing historical relationship with the Jewish people and the nation of Israel, particularly in areas of agriculture, technology and development, should not be jeopardised by unjustly taking a stand against Israel.

The JCHS states, unequivocally, that the loss of innocent lives in this conflict, particularly children, is deeply tragic and should never be minimised. We believe that Israel has taken significant steps to mitigate civilian casualties, while groups like Hamas have intentionally placed civilians in harm’s way, using them as human shields. Surprisingly, it is not Hamas that has come under the greatest international outrage for war crimes and atrocities, but Israel.

Considering these compelling realities, JCHS believes it is beyond disappointing that Jamaica chose to vote against Israel in this recent resolution. Since Jamaica lacked the moral courage to support Israel, the least we could have done is to abstain.

We are requesting a clear statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade regarding the policy brief that instructs its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

DR WAYNE WEST

Chairman

Jamaica Coalition for a

Healthy Society