By Desire Tshuma
HARARE – Zimbabwe on Tuesday commemorated International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people at an event that took place at the embassy of Palestine in Harare.
The commemoration was graced by several diplomats and top government officials.
The annual event, organized by the UN Department of Global Communication aims to educate the public on the question of Palestine and support a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On Tuesday, the United Nations secretary general His Excellency Antonio Guterres’ speech was presented by UN resident and humanitarian coordinator His Excellency Edward Kallon who called for peace.
“We commemorate International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people at a time of diminished hope for peace,” he said.
“I’m deeply saddened by the growing number of Palestinian civilians who have lost their lives in the spiral of violence engulfing the occupied West Bank.”
He further said the long standing drivers of conflict including the ongoing occupation, settlement expansion, home demolitions and evictions had heightened anger, despair and hopelessness.
Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe His Excellency Dr Tamer Almassri in his International day of solidarity with the Palestinian people speech said he was saddened by escalating violence amid a stalled peace process.
“We accommodated them but now they are subjugating the natives of Palestine after the Second World War where they established a new state. Palestine now has the highest number of refugees in the world and has one of the lowest literacy levels,” said His Excellency Dr Tamer Almassri.
Deputy Minister of Media and Broadcasting Services Kindness Paradza also shared history of oppression and colonisation of Palestinians by Israel and condemned the killing of an AL Jazeera journalist Shiren Abu Akleh by Israeli army.
Foreign Affairs deputy Minister David Musabayana applauded Palestinian Embassy for honouring women writers who wrote a book in solidarity with Palestinian women.
Journalist Catherine Murombedzi presented a poem with a message honouring slain Al Jazeera journalist.
