BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, – The government of Barbados has been called on to back Israel’s war with the Hamas terrorist organisation.
The call was made by Israel’s non-resident Ambassador to Barbados, Itai Bardov, during an interview with Barbados Today.
Speaking from his base in Panama, Bardov raised concerns about Bridgetown’s position, in the wake of the ongoing conflict with Hamas that one year ago infiltrated Israel’s southern border, killing 1 200 Israelis in the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust during the Second World War.
In addition, 250 men, women and children were taken hostage.
During the interview, Bardov expressed disappointment with Barbados and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states, suggesting their efforts to restore peace in the Middle East have been misdirected.
“I think the fact they have chosen to put all the pressure… on Israel… is not going to reach the effect that we all want, which is a cessation of the conflict, and returning back to normalcy,” Bardov said.
He also urged Barbados and its regional partners to shift focus and apply pressure on Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
“If you really, really feel that you want to bring an end to these hostilities and restore peace, pressuring Israel will not be the right path,” Bardov said. “You have to pressure Iran, you have to pressure Iran’s proxies to stop their attacks and their hostilities, and not go the populous way.”
Bardov questioned Bridgetown’s position on Israel’s right to selfdefence and acknowledged Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s condemnation of Hamas following the outbreak of war but criticised what he saw as a contradictory stance.
The Israeli Ambassador also warned that the stance taken by Barbados and other countries in the region, risk emboldening terrorist organisations.
“What you are doing is giving what’s called a silver bullet for the terrorist organisations. All you have to do is attack another nation and then go and hide yourself among civilians and use them as human shields and we are not allowed to react… create collateral damage,” he said.
The ambassador expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict, particularly the kidnapping of Israeli citizens, and called for unified efforts to end the bloodshed and restore peace.
“ I really hope that we can resolve this conflict in a way that will bring back the 101 hostages who were kidnapped from their homes and that will ensure security [not only] for the people of Israel, but also for the people of Gaza and Lebanon,” he told Barbados Today. (CMC)
