Smoke rises following Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, October 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)
MANILA, Philippines — Palestinian ambassador to the Philippines Saleh Mohammad called on world leaders to question Israel’s actions, saying that these have “gone way beyond self defense.”
“There has to be a reaction from the world to ask Israel that what [they] are doing has gone beyond [their] right to self defense,” said Mohammad in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart on Friday.
“It has gone far away. It has gone far away, far beyond [their] right to defend Israel. People are dying, so what is the world doing?” the diplomat asked.
Palestinian group Hamas entered Israel in an unprecedented attack on Saturday, October 7.
But according to Mohammad, Palestinians are the victims of this armed conflict.
“We are the victims. We cannot be the criminal[s]. No way,” Mohammad maintained.
“Look at us. We are merely trying to end the over 75 years of occupation to our homeland,” he claimed.
“Our demand is not much. We do not deserve these killings,” he said.
Mohammad said, as a result of this war, Palestinians have been deprived of their access to drinking water, food, electricity, and medical aid.
He further said they were targeted “randomly, even at home.”
Mohammad explained the main cause core of the war lies within Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
“The core problem of this issue is the continual occupation of Israel to the Palestinian territories,” he pointed out.
“Our heart bleeds for every civilian who falls in this war, whether our side or their side. Civilian life is so precious,” he said.
When asked if Palestine is taking the side of Palestinian militant group Hamas, Mohammad repeatedly clarified that they “do not agree” with them “politically.”
“Hamas is not Palestine. Hamas is an organization trying to fight for the liberation of Palestine,” he made the distinction.
“What made Hamas is the absence of a real political hope for the Palestinian people,” he went on.
“You cannot just oppress people and keep them under your feet and expect that they will keep their mouth shut and they will not move,” he claimed.
The envoy then called on world leaders to reconsider their stand amid the ongoing conflict.
He asserted Palestine is “merely trying to establish an independent state and live like any other nation.”
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