By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during an address in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, reiterated Nigeria’s age-long position on cessation hostilities and actions by Israel in Gaza.
The Nigerian President emphasized that “the conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering” on the affected populations.
Speaking at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, which was convened to tackle the escalating situation in the Middle East, Tinubu conveyed Nigerians profound concern regarding what he described as “the dire humanitarian conditions currently facing the people of Gaza.”
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday.
In a formal reiteration of Nigeria’s position, Tinubu advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and re-affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to a two-state solution.
He stressed that such a solution is essential for establishing a peaceful coexistence framework in which both Israelis and Palestinians can enjoy security and dignity.
Tinubu was quoted as saying: ”The conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering on countless lives.
”As representatives of nations that value justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life, we have a moral obligation to collectively bring about an immediate end to this conflict.
”It is not enough to issue empty condemnations. The world must work towards an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for far too long.
“No political aim, no military strategy, and no security concern should come at the expense of so many innocent lives,” he said.
Tinubu called on parties in the conflict in the Middle East to respect the principles of proportionality and the basic rights of civilians, consistent with global legal and diplomatic frameworks.
”In a rules-based international order, States have the right of self-defence. But self-defence must take proportionality into account, in line with global legal, diplomatic – and moral – frameworks.
”An entire civilian population, their dreams and futures, cannot be dismissed as collateral,” he said.
The New Diplomat reports that Israel had announced that it would enter a state of war against Hamas after an attack on 7 October 2023, which was suspected to be masterminded by Palestinian militants.
More than 690 Palestinians have been reportedly killed since then, the Palestinian health ministry says, as Israeli forces have consistently intensified their nearly daily search and arrest raids.
In Gaza, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed as a result of Israeli military action, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
It would also be recalled that the Israeli military recently announced the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party, Hezbollah.
The Israeli military claimed it killed Hezbollah’s leader in an air attack on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. The death of Nasrallah has sent shockwaves throughout Lebanon and the Middle East, where he has been a dominant political and military figure for more than three decades.
