We believe Buhari will support Palestinian struggle- Envoy

The Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Nigeria, Dr. Montaser Abuzaid, has expressed the belief that the Nigerian President–elect, Muhammadu Buhari, will support the Palestinians in their struggle against Israeli occupation in the Middle East. In this interview the Palestinian envoy, who is also the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps and Asia-Pacific Group in Nigeria, notes that his country has enjoyed great bilateral relations with Nigeria, which should be strengthened. He says his country has joined the International Criminal Court, ICC, to internationalize the conflict and to hold Israel accountable for what he calls killings perpetrated against defenceless Palestinians by Israel.  Excerpts

You are the current Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria. How are you finding this new position?
Yes, first of all I became the Dean of Arab Diplomatic Corps since two months ago, shortly after the former dean (Ambassador of Iraq) left the country, and also in the same time I became the dean of Asia – Pacific group. In the diplomatic tradition, the Ambassador can only become a dean when he is the first to present his letter of credence to the President.
Being the dean is a position with high responsibility, as it is my role to lead the meetings of Arab diplomatic corps and also that of Asian Pacific group monthly, to map out plans on how to develop our relationship with Nigeria in different fields, and also organize farewell dinner for ambassadors within the group to mark the completion of their mission.

You were the first among the members of the diplomatic community in Nigeria to send congratulatory letter to

Nigeria’s President- Elect. In what areas would your country work with the new Nigerian leader to assist your struggle?
Yes, it was a great honour for me to meet the President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari, on 1st of April, 2015 at 4:00pm in his residence in Abuja to present to him a congratulation letter from President of the State of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas and first Congratulation letter the President-Elect received. First of all, we respect the choice of Nigerian people and we are ready to work with any president the Nigerian people choose. The Palestinian Leadership will work with President-Elect Buhari with great honour and we believe that President Buhari will support Palestinian question and support the implementation of all UN resolutions concerning Arab-Israeli conflict. In this regard, I congratulate the Nigerian people for the free democratic election in Nigeria.

Palestine has joined the International Criminal Court, which it said is to internationalize the conflict with Israel. Will this move help or hinder the Palestinian cause?
Yes, it is a very important achievement for the Palestinian people to be members of all UN agencies including the International Criminal Court and its legitimate right for the Palestinian people. This move surely will help the Palestinian people to take their rights and to take the criminals, killing the Palestinian children, women, old men & destroying buildings to the international court for justice.
Last year, a Palestinian-drafted resolution demanding “a full and phased withdrawal of the Israeli occupying forces” within three years, did not scale through in the UN Security Council. Is your country ready to repeat the move?
Of course we can repeat it anytime; it is our full legitimate right.

We only needed one vote to scale through the UN Security Council, but unfortunately Nigeria didn’t vote which made us surprise and sad, because Nigeria is a big friend and brother to Palestine and as always voted for Palestine and officially. Two hours before the voting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria informed us that they will vote for the resolution, but unfortunately, at the end they didn’t vote for the end of Israeli occupation in Palestine.

How can the Palestinian authority mobilise the International Community to stop Israeli occupation?
We are asking all the time, the International Community to put Israel under pressure and economic sanction, till Israel will implement all UN resolution especially 242, 338, 181 & 194, Security Council and General Assembly resolution concerning Arab-Israeli conflict and to accept two state solution.

What is the current level of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Palestine?
The relationship between Palestine and Nigeria is very good, as we organized a very successful visit for President Goodluck Jonathan to Palestine to meet with President Mahmud Abbas October 2013, and we are working towards the great honour of organizing the same for H.E. Muhammadu Buhari to visit Palestine and develop our relationship politically, economically, cultural affairs and to develop the friendship between the people.
Source: FirstAfricanews