Dear Editor,

The honour of heading the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), which opened in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on July 6, falls on Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness as he assumes the chairmanship.

The conference is being held in a very challenging period as numerous wars and conflicts have negatively impacted the world, both morally and financially.

The genocide in Gaza, the horrors of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with the Russia-Ukraine war are the most obvious conflicts, but they are by no means the only ones.

Jamaica, and indeed the Caribbean, has a highly regarded reputation of standing up for human rights, and especially in this difficult international atmosphere, our actions will be judged.

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley has perhaps been the most forceful of our leaders, describing the situation in Gaza, from as recently as last year, as the world’s first “televised genocide”, and since then the invasion of Gaza by Israel has only got worse. The latest reports include people being shot dead at aid centres and allegations of flour bags — distributed through US and Israeli-backed aid centres — containing oxycodone.

Polls show that the majority of people in every country want to see a ceasefire (including Israel) but the leaders of the West seem out of touch with its people. Caricom has the challenge and the responsibility to step up and maintain its reputation. There is no doubt that the Caribbean’s historical ties to major Western countries, geographically and economically, create major pressures as the heads deliberate what action to take. The last one they should take is complicity in genocide by taking no action.

Our leaders could take a leaf out of the book of former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien when he refused the call of the US to be part of the coalition to attack Iraq — a decision which, incidentally, proved to be the correct one.

For weeks he was heavily criticised and vilified by the media in the USA and Canada and accused of not being an “ally” and “true friend” of America. Chretien, with great fortitude and character, at a very contentious press conference destroyed the frenzied atmosphere. His response was simple, yet powerful. He explained that he was definitely a great ally and friend of the US, but then stated, “If you realise your friend is driving into a brick wall, do you blindly support him and hit that brick wall with him or do you warn him he is heading into a brick wall?”

The Gaza plight has been confused by the cry of anti-Semitism once Israel is criticised, but the truth is that Israel is controlled by a political entity, Zionism, not a religious one. Judaism is a religion, and not every Jew is an Israeli or Zionist. Millions of Jews are opposed to Zionism, even many who support Israel.

The proof is not just massive demonstrations in Israel lately, but the fact is that the leading category of people detained and arrested in peaceful protests against the war in New York have been Jews. Are these arrests not anti-Semitic?

The plight of the Palestinians is horrendous and a stain on the world. The obligation of all countries is to protect the thousands of innocent Palestinians being killed and to protect their sovereignty and resources, which non-Palestinians openly boast of exploiting.

History will forever judge the actions of our leaders, including our Caricom leaders.

Robert Dabdoub

palestinegaza192@gmail.com