Ambassador Tamer Almassri
By George Swarei
The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Zimbabwe has strongly denounced reported efforts by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza and relocate them to Jordan and Egypt. The Embassy described the alleged plan as a grave violation of international law and an attempt to facilitate the annexation of Palestinian land by the United States and Israel.
In a statement, the Embassy labeled the proposal as an act of ethnic cleansing, emphasizing that the forced displacement of Palestinians would constitute a war crime under international law. “This outrageous plan is a direct violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people,†the statement read. The Embassy drew parallels to the Nakba of 1948, during which millions of Palestinians were displaced from their homeland, resulting in a humanitarian crisis that persists to this day.
Rejecting the notion that Palestinians can be relocated, the Embassy underscored that Palestine is a nation with a rich heritage and an unshakable claim to its land. “Palestinians are not refugees to be resettled; they are a people with a rightful place in their homeland, with Jerusalem as their capital,†the statement asserted. The Embassy further warned that any attempt to force Palestinians out of Gaza would embolden extremist elements in Israel, perpetuating further violence and human rights violations.
The Embassy urged the international community to take decisive action to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza. It called on world leaders and human rights organizations to reject what it described as an attempt to erase the Palestinian people through forced displacement. “The only path to peace is through the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,†the Embassy stated, emphasizing that no solution ignoring Palestinian rights, dignity, and sovereignty would succeed.
Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr. Tamer Almassri, reaffirmed that Palestinian rights are non-negotiable and stressed that only the Palestinian people have the authority to determine their future. He urged all nations and international bodies to reject the proposed plan, emphasizing that any attempt at mass expulsion would violate fundamental human rights and established international legal norms.
The Embassy concluded its statement with a firm declaration: “The Palestinian people will never raise the white flag of surrender or abandon their homeland and identity. The world must stand against this blatant injustice and support Palestine’s right to self-determination.â€
The statement comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region, with growing calls for global intervention to prevent further escalation of violence. As diplomatic efforts continue, the world is watching closely to see whether international powers will take a stand against what the Embassy describes as a renewed push for the forced erasure of the Palestinian people.
