Warring Israeli, Palestinian envoys preach peaceful co-existence

As Israel and Palestine count their losses in the raging hostilities at Gaza Strip, envoys of the two countries to Nigeria have canvassed peaceful coexistence.

The appeal was part of outcome of the fourth webinar of Geopolitics Series, at the weekend, which discussed ‘Israel-Hamas War and the Way Forward.’ Organised by Media Centre for Development (MCD) in Abuja, in collaboration with West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) in Dakar, Senegal, the event brought together stakeholders, ambassadors of Israel and Palestine, as well as prominent voices across Africa.

The convener, Senator Iroegbu, submitted that the forum was to address the critical pre-conditions set by each side, acknowledging their impact on survival.

He stressed that the dialogue, conducted under the theme: ‘Bridging Divides for Sustainable Peace in the Middle East and Beyond’, was to promote understanding, address humanitarian considerations, comprehend global implications and unlock potential for Africa’s involvement.

This is the first time both envoys appeared on same platform since the October 7, 2023, invasion of Isreal by Hamas. While the Israeli ambassador, Michael Freeman, insisted that Hamas must be eliminated for peace to reign, his Palestinian counterpart, Abdullah AbuShawesh, maintained that the investigation of war crimes remains only solution to a sustained peace in the troubled area.

The Israeli diplomat, who doubles as his nation’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, however, expressed a commitment to peaceful co-existence amid reservations for alleged inhumane treatment of his people.

AbuShawesh, on his part, affirmed Palestine’s resolve for peace, stating that his people do not hate Jews, but are rather concerned about prevailing thoughts in Israeli leadership.

Also, an American-Israeli activist, Shoshanna Jaskoll, expressed deep concern for the aftermath of the war, particularly its impact on women and girls.

Earlier in her welcome address, Station Manager of WADR, Agnes John-Thomasi, regretted the losses on both sides. She, therefore, urged unity through dialogue as path to true peace.