Former Pres Ramotar wants CARICOM to break ties with Israel over assault on Gaza

Last Updated on Thursday, 25 September 2025, 22:20 by Writer

A day after President Irfaan Ali urged the United Nations (UN) to end Israel’s “genocide” in Palestine, his immediate predecessor Donald Ramotar on Thursday reiterated that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states must end diplomatic relations with Israel and call for that country to be thrown out of the global family of nations.

Mr Ramotar was among several persons who spoke at an event organised by the Guyana chapter of the pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and held opposite the CARICOM headquarters, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. “We should not allow ourselves to be divided on this issue and we call on all CARICOM countries to break relationships with Israel. This is the minimum we can do and to call for their expulsion from the United Nations. This gang, this leadership in Israel do not belong to organisations where ordinary human beings are because of their behaviour,” he said.

The former Guyanese leader called on CARICOM leaders to repeat the “heroic action” of their predecessors who stood with South Africa more than 30 years ago that contributed to the collapse of the apartheid system of white, barbaric dominance and discrimination against Blacks.

He also suggested that there may solidarity by Guyanese doctors and journalists against the onslaught in Gaza because their colleagues were being killed in the line of duty there.

Mr Ramotar’s demands came one day after President Ali told the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the international community must take urgent action to halt the genocide, return the hostages and accelerate our efforts towards the two-state solution. Dr Ali reiterated Guyana’s condemnation of the attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 and again called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

“Israel’s actions have long shattered any pretense of legitimate self-defense. What we are witnessing is not warfare, but mass extermination—a systematic slaughter and displacement of Palestinian men, women, and children. Those who escape the bombs and bullets are condemned to die slowly, starved of food, water, and hope. This is a war crime,” the President of Guyana said.

While he urged Qatar, Egypt and the United States to continue their efforts to work towards a two-state solution, President Ali said the international community must not remain paralysed, while an entire people is annihilated. “Impunity must never triumph over justice,” he added.

BDS Guyana also called for a boycott of several local businesses and an end to a Guyana government project through the Ministry of Agriculture because of their ties to Israeli companies. “We need to end these economic ties now because by ending economic ties, it hugely impacts Israel and its ability to continue,” said a Lebanese-Guyanese woman who chaired the event.

Leader of the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT) Haseeb Yusuf said efforts must be intensified to halt the horrific killings and humanitarian crisis. “We can’t rely on the United States to stop the genocide, we can’t rely on Western Europe to stop the genocide. In many instances, they are complicit,” he said.

He said Guyana’s diplomatic efforts and Dr Ali’s call for and end to the killings in Gaza must be backed by more action. “They have to do more. We’re calling on them to do more because this is beyond crisis point as we see the children being shredded and we see the starvation intensifying,” he said.

Representatives of the Presbyterian and Roman Catholic churches also addressed the event.