Addressing the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed to support South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ and to support Palestinians rights to self-determination.
“It is encouraging that this 19th Summit has given the highest priority to this crisis in Gaza and the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine to self- determination and the realisation of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine. We must congratulate South Africa for the bold stand it has taken in regard to Gaza” Wickremesinghe stated.
The statement comes despite Sri Lanka’s move to send military support against the Houthis who have been targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels to push for a stop to the ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.
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His statement further went on to demand the establishment of a Palestinian state within five years.
“There cannot be a two-state solution based on one state – Israel. No resolution is possible without a state of Palestine. Therefore, in line with multiple UN Resolutions, and the Declaration of this Summit, the international community must recognise the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as territories coming within the State of Palestine and in addition there should be no change in the ethnic composition of Gaza. Sri Lanka also proposes that the State of Palestine be established within 5 years and no more”.
Wickremesinghe’s proclaimed support for Palestinian self-determination stands in sharp contrast to his position towards Tamils in Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe has repeatedly stressed his fundamental opposition to a federal solution and has stressed that he would not divide the country nor “betray the Sinhalese”. He has also repeatedly rejected the need for an international investigation into the war crimes Sri Lanka's military has commited.
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