Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
The Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri, has condemned remarks by Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen suggesting that revenues from Gaza’s offshore Marine-1 gas field should be diverted to fund Israel’s war.
Ambassador Almassri said the statement was a stark reminder of Israel’s continued disregard for international law, its blatant violation of Palestinian rights, and its relentless pursuit of exploiting our natural resources.
“It is utterly appalling that Cohen would so callously suggest that the rightful owners of these resources, the Palestinian people, should be robbed of their due benefits to fund Israel’s aggressive military campaigns and genocide in Gaza,” he said.
The envoy said the Marine-1 field, situated off the coast of Gaza, forms part of Palestine’s sovereign territory and that any proceeds from its exploitation belong solely to the Palestinian people.
“By making such a statement, Cohen is, in effect, legitimising Israel’s decades-long occupation, genocide and apartheid policies, which have systematically denied the Palestinian people their basic human rights, including the right to self-determination and the right to their natural resources,” Ambassador Almassri said.
He accused Israel of hijacking and withholding Palestinian funds and warned that Israeli leaders would one day be forced to reckon with the consequences of their statements, actions and policies advocating ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and genocide.
Calling on the international community to act, Ambassador Almassri urged the United Nations and its agencies to protect the Palestinian people’s rights and sovereignty over their territory and resources.
“It is the responsibility of the international community to hold Israel accountable for its actions and to ensure that the Palestinian people can exercise their sovereign rights over their territory and resources,” he said.
Online Reporter