Jerusalem Resolution

A few weeks ago, at a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) forum, Nigeria joined some other countries to vote in favour of a resolution that was provocative to Israel. 24 nations including several Arab and Muslim countries, voted in favour of the resolution while six countries including the USA and the UK voted against it. Several other countries abstained from voting. The vote prompted Israel to suspend all ties with UNESCO as an act of protest. Amongst the complaints of Israel is that the resolution uses only the Islamic name for a site, which is sacred to both Jews and Muslims – a site which includes the Western Wall.

As the ABC news website put it: “The resolution, titled “Occupied Palestine,” is the latest of several measures at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation over decades that Israelis see as evidence of ingrained anti-Israel bias within the United Nations, where Israel and its allies are far outnumbered by Arab countries and their supporters. Israel’s concern has mounted since UNESCO states admitted Palestine as a member in 2011.”

In December 2014, during the Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria abstained from voting on a resolution sponsored by Jordan seeking to end “Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territory by 2017.” This decision to abstain caused ripples and drew widespread criticism from many Muslims in Nigeria who took turns to condemn the Goodluck Administration citing the incident as an example of the anti-Islam stance of that Government.

The fact, which seems to be overlooked is that Nigeria is a country which is finely divided between Muslims and Christians. While many Muslims are sympathetic to Palestine, many Christians are supportive of Israel. In the light of this sensitive balance, it makes sense for Nigeria’s approach as a Country to be one of neutrality in matters relating to Israel and Palestine. Such neutrality can only be preserved in bodies like the United Nations by abstaining when such issues come up for vote. In other words, Nigeria should not support any one side over the other.

In the light of Nigeria’s expected neutrality on such issues, the decision of the Nigerian envoy to vote in favor of Palestine is regrettable and condemnable. Going forward, it is advised that President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo instruct Nigeria’s envoys at international outposts that Nigeria’s position on such issues is one of neutrality and Nigeria’s default position in cases of voting should be abstention. The alternative could deepen religious division in our dear country and burnish the idea that the present government has an agenda to ‘islamise’ the country.

Lawrence Jumbo