The International day of solidarity with the People of Palestine have been observed with a call on international communities to remain committed to Palestine and Israel in their negotiations for peace.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Ms. Christine Evans-Klock, who made the call in Accra on Tuesday, stressed on the need to address remote causes of conflict and empower institutions for conflict resolution.
The celebration, which was attended by the diplomatic corps and government officials, seeks to to remember the needs of Palestinians towards International protection and necessity for continuing the peace process between Israel and Palestine.
Ms. Evans-Klock noted that in supporting the work of governments to find lasting solution to conflict and insecurity, there is the need to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights.
She lamented that this year the number of demolitions of Palestine houses and other structures by Israeli forces had doubled, compared to 2015.
“Gaza remains a humanitarian emergency with two million Palestine’s struggling with crumbling infrastructure and a paralysed economy and tens of thousands still displaced awaiting reconstruction of homes destroyed by conflict.” she added.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Abdul Fatah Alsattari said there were 7,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons with 350 of them children and 240 women.
He explained that there cannot be peace process unless there is an establishment of an Independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Mr. Alsattari commended the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and other countries that had stood by their side over the years.
He thanked the government and the people of Ghana for their support to Palestine over the years which had improved historic ties between the two countries.
The Director of Middle East, Asia and Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mrs. Jenifer Lartey called for two state resolutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
She indicated that Ghana was concerned about the current deteriorating state of affairs regarding the peace process between the States of Palestine and Israel as a result of continuous conflicts.
Mrs. Lartey urged both sides to seek a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict through diplomatic means.
By Nii Ogbamey Tetteh