Noted Palestinian activist Dr Mustafa Barghouti has called on the international community to impose sanctions and boycott Israel to end the genocide in Gaza. “Our demand is very clear. You want to claim that international law and humanitarian law exist, impose sanctions on Israel now. This is the only way to achieve the change,” the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, told Doha Forum Saturday.
He was attending the panel discussion on 'Preventing Another Year of Tragedy in Palestine: Shaping a Way Forward' at the forum. He said Palestinians are the victims of global racism and colonialism.
Moderated by Lyse Doucet, chief international correspondent and senior presenter, BBC News, the session had as other panellists Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia, Colombia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; Diego Martínez Belío Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs; Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC, Senior Barrister at Matrix Chambers; and Daniel Levy: President, US/ Middle East Project (USMEP).
The session discussed the longstanding disconnect between international law and approaches to the Palestine question. It analysed the consequential shift in the international legal reality that has not yet taken centre stage in diplomatic discourse.
Barghouti said the crisis in Gaza raises the important questions of equality and impunity, enjoyed by Israel. Murillo, who termed the occupation genocide, noted that his country is doing its best for the Palestinian cause. More than 45,000 people have been killed with 70% of the victims being women and babies. We can’t allow this to happen in the 21st century,” he said noting that even journalists and humanitarian workers are not spared.
The minister explained that his country is involved in the humanitarian aid for Gaza noting that flights were sent to Egypt and Lebanon to help the victims. He denounced the failure of the UN system to put an end to the crisis and noted the international system has failed to implement its decisions.
Dr Mustafa Barghouti at Doha Forum Saturday.
