The Government of Trinidad and Tobago formalised ties with Palestine as Israeli settlers prepare to move into Gaza

Trinidad and Tobago has formally established diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine. A release posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs announced that the Joint Communiqué establishing diplomatic relations was signed by Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Dr. Amery Browne and Prime Minister of the State of Palestine Dr. Mohammad Mustafa at the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations in New York on Sunday.

“This historic event is one of Minister Browne’s major engagements at the commencement of the High-Level Week of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The move follows Trinidad and Tobago’s recognition of the State of Palestine on 2nd May 2024,” the release stated.

The Ministry reported that the establishment of diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine “is rooted in the ongoing commitment of Trinidad and Tobago, at both the regional and multilateral levels, to contribute to international peace and security.”

“Sunday’s signing reinforces the call for a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a two-state solution that guarantees the security of Israel and the right of Palestine to an independent, viable, and sovereign state within the pre-1967 borders,” the release added.

The Ministry stated that Trinidad and Tobago’s consistent support for Palestine has been demonstrated through its endorsement of critical resolutions regularly presented to the United Nations General Assembly, as well as those adopted at the Emergency Special Sessions on the protection of civilians and humanitarian obligations.

“Most recently, Trinidad and Tobago endorsed the 13th September 2024 Resolution on the International Court of Justice advisory,” the release underscored.

Senator Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, and His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, signed a Joint Communiqué establishing diplomatic relations on September 22, 2024, at the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations in New York.

“This historic event is one of Minister Browne’s major engagements at the commencement of the High-Level Week of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York,” the Ministry’s statement reported.

It noted: “The establishment of diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine is rooted in the ongoing commitment of Trinidad and Tobago, at both the regional and multilateral levels, to contribute to international peace and security.”

The move come as Jewish settlers set their sights on Gaza.

This area which has been demolished and ravaged with the deaths of thousands of Palestinians including children has become a focal point for potential expansion. For many settlers, the beachfront offers a unique combination of natural beauty and strategic value. With its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the area provides opportunities for both residential growth and economic ventures, such as tourism and fishing. Additionally, the beachfront’s significance is not merely economic.

According to the BBC, Daniella Weiss, 78, the grandmother of Israel’s settler movement, says she already has a list of 500 families ready to move to Gaza immediately.

“I have friends in Tel Aviv,” she says, “so they say, ‘Don’t forget to keep for me a plot near the coast in Gaza,’ because it’s a beautiful, beautiful coast, beautiful golden sand”.

She tells them the plots on the coast are already booked.

Mrs Weiss heads a radical settler organisation called Nachala, or homeland. For decades, she has been kickstarting Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, on Palestinian land captured by Israel in the 1967.

TRT World’s investigative documentary, Holy Redemption, exposes the violent fanaticism of armed illegal Jewish settlers determined to remove Palestinians from the occupied West Bank. The documentary followed Mrs Weiss who believes God gave the land to Abraham, Issac and Jacob

The documentary produced by TRT World, said it infiltrates a group referred to as “Israel’s Daesh” who express preparedness for a large-scale attack on Palestinians. “If we need to kill them all, we will”

Nevertheless, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman stated that Riyadh will not normalize relations with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“The kingdom will continue its tireless efforts towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the Kingdom will not engage in diplomatic relations with Israel unless this condition is met,” he told the Saudi parliament in a speech.

“We extend our gratitude to the countries that have recognized the Palestinian state, reflecting international legitimacy, and we urge other nations to take similar actions,” he added.

“The Palestinian cause remains at the forefront of our national concerns. We reiterate the kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of the actions taken by the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people, which disregard international and humanitarian law, perpetuating their suffering.”

As the conflict of opinions and the settler communities continues in Palestine, Trinidad and Tobago’s diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine have yet to yield results.