Mudenda coats criticism on Palestinian/Israel statement

zwnews.com Political Reporter- Simba Moyo

Jacob Mudenda, the speaker of Zimbabwean Parliament coated criticism from members of parliament (MP) few days ago, on his recent speech at the 6th International Conference by the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in support of the Palestinian Uprising, held in Teheran in Iran.

The MPs says Mudenda’s remarks were doubled edged as they portray a wrong picture of Zimbabwe’s true relations with Israel and Palestine.

Mudenda’s statement lambasted Israel for the atrocities it has continued perpetrating against Palestinians, including the current construction of illegal settlements within the Palestinian territory.

He called on the international community to now refocus its efforts on resolving the crisis by taking ‘a concrete plan of action, once and for all’ instead of relying on UN resolutions or conferences whose outcome are always frustrated or ignored by Israel.

“It takes two to tango and we have chosen to interact with just one side,” stormed the Deputy President of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) and MP for Kuwadzana Nelson Chamisa, “From a diplomatic point of view, it puts the country in a very invidious position because then we are not able to be an honest empire when it comes to resolving the issues that are affecting these countries.”

James Maridadi Mabvuku /Tafara MP concurred, “Going to this conference and coming here siding with Iran and Palestine, Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is good for this country.  Let us remain nonaligned and focus on the economic interests of the country,”  

Tapiwa Mashakada, MP for “I think a two-state solution is better. Let the two States exist side by side as sovereign states sharing Jerusalem as their capitals. I think that is an objective and pragmatic state rather than for us to be wishful thinking that Israel is going to disappear. No, it is not going to disappear.”

An adverse Alfred Mufunga ZANU-PF MP for Muzarabani North constituency said Zimbabwe has been supporting Palestine from the time it was led by the late Yasser Arafat.  “We have always been like that in terms of economic and military transactions with that country,” he said.  

Apparently Zimbabwe through the ZANU-PF lead government has been enjoying good business relations with Israel. Of much recent the agriculture ministry has benefitted from Israeli companies supplying tractors and irrigation equipment. On the other the government has been allegedly contracted an Israeli company Nikuv to help it stay in power by manipulating elections in its favour.