Justicia Shipena
The Non-Resident Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Namibia, Hanan Jarrar, says she looks forward to future engagements with the country for collaboration and parliament-to-parliament cooperation, including the establishment of a Friendship Group with the Palestinian parliament.
Jarrar made these remarks during a courtesy call to the National Assembly on Monday.
She met with Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Phillipus Katamelo.
The visit aimed to strengthen diplomatic relations between Namibia and Palestine.
Jarrar gave an update on the situation in Gaza and spoke about the impact of the ongoing conflict.
“What is currently happening in Palestine is total destruction. Refugee camps are being destroyed, homes demolished, and innocent civilians are being forced to flee their homeland,” she said.
She thanked Namibia for its continued support for Palestine at both the national and international levels.
Namibia has long supported the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
In February this year, Namibia reaffirmed its position when it backed South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Namibia also criticised Germany in January for deciding to intervene on Israel’s behalf in the same case.
The Namibian government reminded the world that Germany committed the first genocide of the 20th century in Namibia between 1904 and 1908.
In another show of support, eight months ago, Namibia was among the countries that voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for Israel to end its hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and East Jerusalem.
The resolution urged Israel to withdraw from the occupied areas within a year.
“We are grateful for Namibia’s unwavering support on different platforms, including when Namibia took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, and on many other occasions, even during the president’s recent State of Nation Address. We are grateful that there are people supporting us,” Jarrar said.
Katamelo reaffirmed Namibia’s position and said the country remains committed to peace, justice, and self-determination.
“Namibia cannot be relentless if others are not safe. Our history of war relates to what Palestine is currently going through, and we commit to support Palestine. Namibia believes in solidarity; we are because of solidarity,” he said.
On the same day, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the intensification of Israeli air strikes and ground operations in Gaza.
He said hundreds of civilians, including many women and children, have been killed in recent days.
He also mentioned large-scale evacuation orders.
Guterres called for rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access to civilians to prevent famine and reduce suffering.
He called for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. He welcomed efforts by mediators to reach a deal in Gaza.
Guterres warned that ongoing violence would worsen civilian suffering and increase the risk of a broader regional conflict.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Monday that Israeli authorities have temporarily allowed limited aid delivery into Gaza.
This comes after 11 weeks of total blockade during an increase in military operations.
The death toll in Gaza has exceeded 53,000 since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023.
The war followed a Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis and saw around 250 people taken hostage.
