Several Caribbean countries have voiced their opinions on the hostilities between Israel and the Hamas movement. In reprisal for the terrorists’ bloody weekend incursion, Israel’s military on Monday declared a total lockdown on the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the government of Antigua and Barbuda stated that it deplored terrorism worldwide and condemned the terrorist attack on Israel.
“No issue is solved by aggression and conflict, which have far-reaching and lasting effects, as the current escalation of the situation shows,” the statement adds. We express our regret for the victims who were civilians and offer their families our sincere condolences.
Minister of Foreign Affairs for Belize, Eamon Courtenay in a post on X formerly Twitter said:
“#Belize regrets the hostilities between #Hamas and #Israel and calls for immediate de-escalation. #Israeli#Apartheid must end. We call for a #Palestinian state with all rights including East Jerusalem as its capital and the right of return. #PeaceNotWar!”
Belize’s Opposition leader, Shyne Barrow, in a statement, said his party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), condemns the Hamas attack on Israel. He said extremism must always be rejected in favour of moderation and peace.
Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, on X formerly Twitter, said the Government of Jamaica condemns the attack by the Hamas group on Israel, resulting in the deaths, injury and abduction of Israeli civilians and conveys its sympathies to the Government and people of Israel and to the families of all those affected.
He said Jamaica firmly believes that the use of violence and terror has no place in international relations and should never be used against innocent civilians. Jamaica also calls for a cessation of hostilities, a return to peace within internationally agreed guidelines and the pursuit of diplomatic solutions.
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves during the Issue at Hand programme on Sunday briefly commented on the general state of the world as the situation was unfolding.
He said: “There’s so much challenges in the world. There’s so much adrift, so much war, so much confusion. I mean, you see what is happening now between Israel and the Palestinians in Hamas in Gaza.
Of course it connects with all the Palestinians everywhere in the Arab world.”
