Don’t join Gaza Stabilization Force: Palestine Solidarity Committee urges govt

Palestine Solidarity Committee, Bangladesh yesterday strongly condemned and protested the interim government’s interest in principle in joining the proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza, expressing deep concern and demanding an immediate withdrawal from the decision.

In a statement, Prof Dr Md Harun-or-Rashid, member secretary of the committee, said women and children in Gaza are living in inhumane conditions amid extreme winter, facing the threat of death due to a severe shortage of food, shelter and water, while no one is standing by them in this crisis.

He said the international community bears responsibility for addressing the situation. However, instead of protecting Palestinians, US President Donald Trump has adopted a plan to form an International Stabilization Force for Gaza, the statement alleged.

According to the statement, the main responsibility of the proposed force would be to disarm freedom fighters in Gaza under the pretext of ensuring the security of Israel, and thereby eliminate the Palestinian resistance movement.

The committee expressed concern that National Security Advisor Khalilur Rahman, who is visiting the United States, has conveyed Bangladesh’s interest in participating in the stabilisation force for Gaza during a meeting in Washington with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Alison Hooker and Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapoor.

The Chief Advisor’s Press Wing released the information.

The Palestine Solidarity Committee, Bangladesh strongly condemned and protested the initiative, reiterating its demand for the government to withdraw from the decision immediately.

The statement said the people of Bangladesh have always stood firmly in favour of the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people. “We strongly demand an immediate end to this heinous act of the government,” it added.

In November last year, the UN Security Council passed a US-sponsored resolution backing US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for ending Israel’s war on Gaza. One of the clauses supported the creation and deployment of an international stabilisation force to provide security and oversight of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.