On February 1, 2024, the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB), organized ‘Meet the Press’ titled “Talk with H.E Mr. Yousef S.Y Ramadan,” featuring the Palestinian Ambassador to Bangladesh, at the Press Club in Dhaka at 11:30 a.m.. Having spent nine years in Bangladesh, Mr. Yousef S.Y Ramadan expressed appreciation for Bangladesh’s support for Palestine.
The program was presided over by the DCAB President journalist Nurul Islam Hasib.
Key Takeaways from the Conference
Yousef asserted that “Israel stands at the forefront of Western policy, but who truly supports this influence? It is incredulous to think that 5.6 million Israelis in Palestine can dominate 400 million Arabs, or that 14 million Jews can control Western media, financial institutions, and policies. However, after 7th October, the situation has shifted dramatically.
Following 7th October, significant changes have occurred, largely favoring Palestine, but at what cost? The cost is the shedding of their blood, the sacrifice of our people, and our land. They endure existence without basic necessities such as food, electricity, medicine, and security, living in dire conditions without homes. One cannot truly comprehend the gravity of the situation without witnessing it firsthand.
Nevertheless, when pursuing freedom and justice, sacrifices must be made. Palestine has done its part and paid the price. Now, the question arises: what will the world do in response?
Before appealing to the broader world, it is imperative to consider the role of the Muslim world. They are the ones upon whom we should rely to alter the Western world’s influence on global policies.”
Yousef also emphasized that Bangladesh should question why the Muslim world remains disunited. Despite the aspirations of unity among the people of India and the 57 countries in the OIC, unity remains elusive, despite its potential for strength.
He outlined the historical context of Palestine’s birth, debunking Israel’s claim to the land for 2000 years. The reality is that Israelis coexisted with Palestinians in Palestine. In a world where power is revered and the weak are pitied, Palestine struggles for recognition.
Moreover, he discussed how countries purchasing security equipment from Israel faced a reality check after 7th October. If Israel couldn’t protect itself, how could it safeguard other nations?
Yousef detailed the events of 7th October, highlighting how Palestinians broke out of Israeli prisons and breached the wall surrounding the Gaza Strip, effectively paralyzing Israel for six hours. Remarkably, for ten days following this incident, no women or children were killed, signaling a shift in global perceptions and policies.
He further discussed the case being taken to ICJ by South Africa and he highly appreciated Bangladesh for being the second country to support South Africa’s effort in freeing Palestine.
“If Mr. Biden did his homework well, as he promised during his election time, but he did nothing for 3 years. If he worked as hard as he is doing today. Working hard to establish an independent Palestinian state. If he did that, the 7th of October wouldn’t have happened. If the international community really worked for the solution to the Palestinian issue, then we wouldn’t have lost so many people. So, the blood of so many people is in their hands. We all are hostages of the American administration 15 million people are hostage to one man. Biden. Because we Muslim nations are very weak.”
He finally urged the media to talk more about why there’s no unity among Muslim countries.
