Israeli Ambassador Insists Hamas Must Be Wiped Out
•Palestinian envoy urges international bodies to ensure Israel vacates occupied territory
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, yesterday, said Israel was presently not at war with her neighbour, Palestine, but rather has declared a total war with Hamas and would do everything to wipe the group out.
The envoy, while stating that Israel was ready to do everything that it takes to ensure that the group goes into extinction, lamented that Saturday’s attack on Israel was the worst after the Holocaust.
He asked the international community to support the push of Israeli government to wipe out Hamas from the face of the earth.
He said Israel was only doing what any other nation would have done if its territory was invaded and its citizen slaughtered, adding that “I am not going to give a description of Hamas, but would want everyone to describe what the group is with what he has been doing so far,” he added.
Freeman, while alleging that Hamas was not only after Jews and Israelis, but every other groups including Muslims and Christians, said he expected the rest of the world to support Israel move to wipe off the threat.
He said there was no other option, but to make sure that the group never exists again, revealing that Israel was ready to roll out everything needed to put an end to Hamas and its madness and barbarism.
He admitted that civilian casualties should be expected in the war against Hamas as there was no war without civil casualties, but assured that Israel would not target civilians but Hamas though he noted that Hamas has threatened to put Israelis children and women in the warfront in the battle against Israel.
His words: It is important to state at this point that this is not a war that is between Israel and Palestine, this is not about Israel and Palestine.
“This is about Israel and Hamas, this is about good and evil, this is about civilisation and barbarism.
“Either you stand with people who are defending themselves or you stand with those who cut the heads of babies.
“That is what this is about, it is not about anything else.”
He assured of Israel’s plan to do everything within its ambit to avoid civilian casualties in the cause of the war against Hamas.
He mentioned that the Israeli move would not be about religion or Islam, Judaism or Christianity, but evil and good.
The ambassador further said that Israel does not desire war in any circumstances, but would remain committed to protecting its citizens in all possible ways.
“If Hamas will surrender this will be over tomorrow morning, if terrorism will be over that is not realistic.
“I am not asking the Palestinians anything, I am saying to the Palestinians I want a better day. I am saying this with focus on Hamas.
“I am focused on dealing with Hamas and I am focused on stopping it.”
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Shawesh, has called on the international community to breathe down the neck of Israel and ensure the siege on Palestinian territory was immediately stopped.
He requested for the application of international laws to resolve the lingering crisis between his country and Israel, while calling on the international community to stop treating Israel as a nation above the law, calling for fair treatment of all parties.
Shawesh, said the lives of all individuals matter and condemned the killings ongoing in both countries.
On whether the Palestinian government was in support of the Hamas group, he said the group was not a terrorist organisation but fighting the course of the people to liberate their land from Israeli occupation.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria said a ceasefire agreement between the warring parties depends on Israel which he said owns a comprehensive military formation with support from allies like the United States.
He said many women and children were killed, medical doctors displaced and Ambulances destroyed in the renewed onslaught, alleging that one of the oldest churches in the world was destroyed by the Israeli forces.
