ST GEORGE’S – The Palestinian Authority is seeking support of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries in its effort to get recognition by the United Nations for the independent State of Palestine.
The issue is likely to be voted on at the United Nations next month and Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority Riyad Maliki has visited Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts-Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago seeking support.
The Palestine Authority is seeking an independent state for the Palestinian people in Palestinian territories that have been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967 and before that by Egypt and Jordan since 1949.
The proposals include the Gaza Strip which is currently controlled by the Hamas faction of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the West Bank, which is administered by the Fatah faction of the PNA and East Jerusalem which is under Israeli sovereignty.
Maliki told the Caribbean Media Corporation that he was confident of the region’s support in his country’s bid for nationhood.
“All responses were very encouraging to us and this really raises our expectations that things would move into the right directions,” he said without indicating the Caribbean countries likely to support the diplomatic initiative.
“There are countries that have said that they would contemplate that issue; others said that they would look positively, favourably into this matter; others said we would go forward with recognizing the state of Palestine.
“Others said we would like to seek a collective decision by CARICOM. But all in all, all responses and actions and messages were very encouraging.”
CARICOM and Central American countries are expected to discuss the issue of Palestinian recognition at the CARICOM-Central American Common Market (SICA) Summit in El Salvador later this month.
Maliki said he hoped to attend to present his country’s case to the regional grouping.
“I hope I would be able to attend myself . . . in order to present our case in front of all the leaders of CARICOM and SICA and for them really to debate and deliberate the issue and to take a positive decision collectively.”
Maliki said he would also visit Cuba and Mexico to seeking their support as well. (CMC)
