Israeli Ambassador pays courtesy call on Minister Grange
Commentary
The importance of achieving and maintaining respectful diplomatic relationships cannot be overstated. Jamaica has been a world leader in this regard and as such an example to many. You do not have to share land mass to have sound relations. Too many neighbours live worse than some “puss and dog. ”
The racist attack on Jews who now form the Israeli State … by Hitler … is abominable. Hitler was wrong “There is no super race” HO’C-D.
Trump’s Wall Policy
This aspect of President-elect Trump’s utterances has greatly alienated him from many … he has much fence mending to do.
The Bible states “Love your neighbour as thy self” if that was not clear enough it went on to say “if you cannot love those you see, how can you love me whom you cannot see” (KJV).
Should we trust Trump?
Trump has publicly trumpeted building a wall to shut out Mexicans … referring to them as “rapists and criminals” … this appears to us to be no way to build sound neighbourly relations. Can Trump be trusted to keep the world safe … this calls for much diplomacy.
Hillary Clinton instead planned to build walls of friendships … we support wholeheartedly this approach.
Belize and its neighbour Guatemala have a long-standing border conflict. Guatemala is claiming large chunks of Belize, from 25 percent to at times 100 percent. This territorial land grab is so bizarre that it may never be settled.
The Israelis and the Palestinians although next door neighbours are bitter enemies … they hate each other and have even engaged each other in wars, repeatedly.
Jamaica
We are proud of Jamaica’s fence building approach to international relations. For example Jamaica established relations with China over 50 years ago … back then when this was not fashionable.
Our reggae artistes like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, helped to end Apartheid in South Africa as they saw their struggle as ours … we extended our neighbourly concept by the lyrical content of our songs. Cuba has long been embraced by Jamaica, even defying the US trade embargo. Jamaica has never allowed combatants or their relations with each other to dictate it’s foreign policy. It has been an independent foreign policy pursued … motivated by self interest, fairness, and decency.
We say love your neighbour as self as we welcome the courtesy call of Israeli Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Daniel Saban. May your tour of duty be successful by the strengthening of bilateral relations between our two countries.
Culture Minister “Babsy” Grange can best be described as “Fence Mender-in-Chief … great label to have, eh!
Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.
