Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cape Verde, Rui Figueiredo Soares, defended today that the country’s abstention in a United Nations resolution on the conflict between Israel and Hamas cannot serve as a “throwing weapon” in internal politics. The country abstained, like others, as it considered the resolution “ too partial, without a single word about the Hamas attacks of October 7th ”, explained the government official.
Israel: Cape Verdean MNE says that abstention at the UN cannot serve as a “throwing weapon”
“The voting process was divisive for various regions and blocks of countries, even for those that have common foreign policy defining instruments, such as the European Union, which should invite Cape Verdean political actors to show increased moderation, more calm analysis, instead of using this vote as a throwing weapon ”, he said, according to Lusa, at a press conference, at Palácio das Comunidades, in Praia.
“ The national interest requires this ”, he pointed out.
The leader of Cape Verdean foreign policy was speaking after the President of the Republic, José Maria Neves, said on Tuesday that he did not understand the abstention on a matter in which “what was at stake was a humanitarian ceasefire to open corridors assistance to civilians ” in Gaza.
The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), an opposition party, also classified abstention as an act of “ diplomatic self-isolation ”, especially in the context of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said today that “ Cape Verde has facilitated humanitarian actions in favor of the Palestinian people ”, namely “ authorizing requests for overflights and landings of aircraft for this purpose ”.
“ It is essential that everything is done so that bilateral and multilateral humanitarian aid continues to benefit Palestinian civilians and Cape Verde will continue to facilitate the transport of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people ,” he said.
“We in no way confuse the Palestinian people with Hamas, but we also cannot accept biased, partial readings of the conflict ,” added Rui Figueiredo Soares.
The country abstained, like others, as it considered the resolution “ too partial, without a single word about the Hamas attacks of October 7th ”, he explained.
According to Lusa, Cape Verde was also one of the countries that voted in favor of an amendment suggested by Canada, to include references to attacks and hostage taking, but the proposal was rejected.
Thus, Cape Verde’s abstention reflects, according to the government, “ coherence with the position of unequivocal condemnation of the heinous attacks of October 7” and with the “usual position of principle, that any and all terrorist acts must be condemned ”.
The Cape Verdean President called on Tuesday for greater consultation on this type of external positions.
About PR criticism and articulation between sovereign bodies
Rui Figueiredo Soares said today that “ it is up to the Government to define and execute foreign policy ”, as well as taking “ responsibility for its votes ”.
“ Based on good institutional understanding with all sovereign bodies, namely with the President of the Republic, who also has interventions in matters of foreign policy, it was a point on the agenda to inform [the head of state] about the meaning of voting ”, he said.
“ But there should not be, in our governance system, articulation or concertation to vote one way or another, there is information that we provide in due time ”, he added, referring to weekly meetings he holds with José Maria Neves.
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly approved on Friday, with 120 votes in favor, a resolution that calls for an ” immediate, lasting and sustained humanitarian truce ” in Gaza and the termination of Israel’s order to displace the population to the south of the enclave.
Countries such as Israel, the United States, Austria or Hungary voted against this text and, among the countries that abstained, are Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Iraq and Albania.
As Lusa recalls, several countries regretted that the resolution did not mention Israel’s right to defend itself and did not directly condemn Hamas’ actions.
More than 8,500 people were killed and thousands of others were injured in the bombings with which Israel retaliated for the attack launched by Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union and which has controlled Gaza since 2007, when it expelled the party from the territory. Fatah, which rules the West Bank.
Israel has been launching airstrikes against Gaza since October 7, when Hamas militants attacked Israeli villages and military posts, killing around 1,400 people and taking 240 hostages.
Israeli forces have also intensified their operations in the West Bank, occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
According to the Ramallah-based Ministry of Health, at least 122 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since October 7, Lusa recalls.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
