The unholy alliance between the Belizean governments both past and present with the occupiers of Palestinian land, the so-called state of Israel, is one of the biggest failures in Belize’s foreign policy. It will surely go down as the disgraceful use of elitist power which defies our socio-historical experience, morality and diplomacy strategies.
This pin joins the flags of Belize and Israel.
The modern state of Israel is a recent imposition. Most Belizeans both at home and abroad are likely not aware that before the land of the Palestinians was considered by the imperialist powers of Britain and the United States as a “homeland” for the so-called Jews of Europe, Belize was also on the top of their list.
Indeed, this was acknowledged by an Israeli ambassador in a recent visit to Belize: “In the beginning of the century there were a few ideas about where to build the new Jewish state. We were talking about Uganda in Africa, we were talking about Belize and other places,” said Israeli Ambassador Mattanya Cohen in 2009.
It was known that the region of Central America was far too hot for these Europeans. It was the mild Mediterranean climate of Palestine which became the selected location for the unjust invasion and establishment of an Israeli state. The people of Palestine were driven from their land and pushed behind the barb wire of concentration camps – which are now the bombarded Gaza Strip and West Bank.
Belizeans must realize that the Israeli apartheid regime, which holds our brothers and sisters hostage in their own lands, has been the greatest supporter of the genocidal military oligarchy in Guatemala. And Guatemala, as we are well aware, is a sworn enemy to the Belizean people with an unfounded territorial claim over Belize.
When Belize campaigned for international support from the United Nations to achieve independence, Israel was not Belize’s ally. In fact, Israel was one of the main suppliers of arms and ammunition to Guatemala. This created a mood of war during the 1970s (see former Belize Minister of Foreign Affairs Assad Shoman’s “Belize’s Independence and Decolonization in Latin America” (2010) pp. 107, 137, 146).
Israel consistently abstained from voting on the resolutions that were introduced to secure Belize’s independence (see Shoman, 2010). This was done in order for Israel to remain an ally of Guatemala. The power elites of Israel would have benefited if Belize and Guatemala had entered a war because they were going to be the main suppliers of arms and ammunitions.
Belizeans must realize that the Israeli apartheid regime, which holds our brothers and sisters hostage in their own lands, has been the greatest supporter of the genocidal military oligarchy in Guatemala. And Guatemala, as we are well aware, is a sworn enemy to the Belizean people with an unfounded territorial claim over Belize.
In the past, the George Price People’s United Party government did recognize the legality of the state of Israel – perhaps they were compelled to do so. But when the Esquivel United Democratic Party administration came to power in 1984, Belize became a pronounced supporter of Israel. Under Esquivel, Belize declared its pro-United States, pro-neoliberalism policy to the international community. And concerned Belizeans, like BREDDA and UBAD (United Black Association for Development), knew that the Belizean people were heading towards greater international dependency.
Then during the Musa PUP administration in 1998, there was a slight turn away from diplomatic support of Israel. But since gaining power in 2004, the Barrow UDP administration, with its diehard pro-West foreign minister, Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington, has gone to great lengths to accommodate Israel within Belize’s body politic.
As noted by 7 News: “Israel and Belize have long had an uneasy relationship … But today [Nov. 16, 2009] in a surprise diplomatic move, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington boldly cemented relations with Israel, allowing a visa waiver and a technical assistance program. We suspect that it is the kind of thing that could not have happened during the last government when Said Musa, who is of Palestinian descent, was the prime minister. But things change and Elrington today said the new pact will help Belize with knowledge.
Belize now has official diplomatic relations with one of the most loyal military allies of Guatemala. This is despite the fact that Israel refused to vote in our favor during the independence campaign. We are now showing affection to the state which provided arms and ammunitions that could have led to our dissolution as a nation. As Evan X Hyde wrote in The Publisher in January: “This makes no sense. The friend of my enemy cannot possibly be my friend.”
As the bombs fall on innocent Palestinians, it becomes obvious that our previous and current governments have wedded an unholy alliance with the occupiers of Palestine. By failing to break our current diplomatic relations with Israel, we are signaling our acceptance to the actions of Israel in the genocide that is unfolding before the eyes of the world.
As the bombs fall on innocent Palestinians, it becomes obvious that our previous and current governments have wedded an unholy alliance with the occupiers of Palestine. By failing to break our current diplomatic relations with Israel, we are signaling our acceptance to the actions of Israel in the genocide that is unfolding before the eyes of the world.
We must not remain silent while Israel unleashes hell on unarmed civilians. Due to our historical experience we should be the most sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians. We could have been the ones to experience the present state of terrorism plaguing the Palestinian people. This is a call for civil society organizations, civil servants, educators and academics to insist that Belize break its diplomatic relations with Israel.
Bilal Morris is a Belizean journalist residing in Los Angeles. He has authored many articles on Belize and also on Islam in the Caribbean and Central America. Rolando Cocom is a graduate of the history program at the University of Belize. His research includes the experiences and struggles of multiculturalism, nationalism and social movements.
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