The conflict in the Middle East has been ongoing for the past eight days and thousands have been killed and injured on both sides. The Israeli army ordered the evacuation of civilians from Gaza, more than a million people, to the south in just 24 hours. Civilians are still without electricity, food, water and medicine. The ambassador of Palestine in Bosnia and Herzegovina Rezeq Namoor spoke for N1 about the situation.

“We have been in an unenviable situation since 1948 and in 1967 that situation worsened and nothing has changed for us. Throughout that period, we have had massacres, killings and arrests. The occupier does not respect international decisions and what we want, which is the two-state solution. We want to be part of the international community. The price of war is higher than the price of peace. Unfortunately, there has been no progress in the peace process since the Oslo Accords in 1993. We obeyed the decisions of the international community, and the occupier did not. President Abbas is trying to negotiate peace with the international community,” he said.

He said that basic necessities were cut off in the Gaza Strip after an official decision of the Israeli government, stressing that “civilians are always the ones who pay the price and have problems with the delivery of energy, food, and medicine, and they don't have the ability to move”.

He also commented on the ultimatum Israel gave to the population to evacuate from the north of the Gaza Strip to the south within 24 hours, saying that it is unreasonable.

“This forced expulsion is a war crime and Israel has no right to ask people to leave our country by invoking fear and thus expel them. Over 70% of the residents of Gaza are refugees since 1948 who were expelled then and the best solution is not for them to be expelled again but to return to their homes in accordance with the UN decisions. We need a partner on the Israeli side to realize the rights of the Palestinians to have a state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

“I hope I won't offend anyone in the international community. Israel was founded by an American-British decision. Britain kept Palestine under occupation and founded Israel. We hoped that the international community that talks about people's rights would look at both sides with both eyes. Unfortunately, they are biased and always side with Israel. It hurts us and every decent person who sees this bias on the part of the West, and Israel does not want to implement the decisions of the international community,” he said.

He said that the strategic choice of president Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership of Palestine is peace but that the Israeli extreme right wing did not want to honour the Oslo Treaty, which is why the process “went backwards”.

“The position of Abbas is clear to everyone and the whole world. A lot of pressure is put on him because he always fights for peace and the implementation of UN and international community resolutions. The very resistance we offer in the West Bank is through protest,” he said.

The ambassador then commented on the US, saying that the country has been saying for many years since Oslo that it is a sponsor of peace negotiations, but that no true progress or pressure on Israel to implement the decisions of the international community has been seen so far.

“They provide them with financial and military support. America is acting as if it is at war, not a war betweem Israel and a Palestinian faction. We are disappointed and we are sending a message to organize an international conference where America will not be the sponsor, but the UN and the international community, to implement decisions that go back several decades”, the ambassador said.

He also commented on the reaction of BiH citizens to the developments in the Middle East.

“I am the ambassador of Palestine here and I feel love and friendship for every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of religion and national affiliation. Individuals are completely biased on the side of Israel as well, but there are also those who have a moderate approach. They have the right to make decisions and we do not interfere in the internal state of the country, but there are a large number of citizens who show sympathy for the Palestinians. I saw the gatherings in support of Palestine and we thank everyone,” he said.