The Ambassador of Lebanon to Romania, Rana Mokaddem, pleads for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, "stopping the genocide" and for the subsequent finding of a solution by which the Palestinians will be respected.
On Tuesday, the Foreign Policy Committee of the Senate met with ambassadors from the Arab states and with ambassadors representing some member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
"Let the fire cease and then we will see what we start with. (...) We are against attacking civilians, no matter what religion or group they belong to. We are here as representatives of Arab countries and Islamic countries and we are here as if we were representing Palestine in this situation, asking to stop the war, to stop the genocide that is happening in the Gaza Strip. We are asking for a peaceful solution, but one that respects the dignity of the Palestinians, that they are treated as human beings and that they have the right to property, to water. (...) This is also why we are here. Palestine is a victim, from our point of view. (...) So I, we, condemn the attack on civilians and we condemn this response which is completely, completely disproportionate to what happened," Rana Mokaddem said at the Senate, after the meeting.
She explained that the images of demolished buildings, schools, hospitals, with people who lost their lives, create "anger and frustration throughout the Arab world" and there is a risk of the conflict expanding.
Rana Mokaddem thanked Romania for the humanitarian aid offered to civilians in the Gaza Strip and highlighted that our country respects the rights of minorities.
"The Arabs in Romania feel like they are next to their brothers. The society is very open to all religions and groups, respecting the rights of minorities," said the Lebanese ambassador.
Rana Mokaddem recalled that, since 2002, the League of Arab States has been supporting the solution of the existence of a Palestinian state located on the border with the state of Israel, everyone living in peace, security and in the spirit of the law.
Asked what her message would be to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Lebanon's ambassador in Bucharest, Rana Mokaddem, said: "It's not my job to send a message, but I think it's up to his people to see these destructions and then it's up to them to wake up".