Photo: Demonstrators rally in support of Palestine at Battlefield Park in Belize City
Demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Minister Kareem Musa stated, “It cannot be that I will not kill you at 8:00 a.m. this morning, but I will decide to kill you at 8:00 p.m. tonight.”
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Nov. 22, 2023
Belize today joined other countries around the world that have seen Pro-Palestine peace marches and demonstrations after a Hamas surprise attack on Southern Israel on October 7 triggered an immediate Israeli declaration of all-out war and non-stop daily bombardment of Gaza for the past month and a half.
Belize’s “March for Peace in Palestine” started from the Memorial Park in Belize City with about 150 demonstrators. Leading the march was Prime Minister John Briceño, Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler. Several rows behind them were the Deputy Prime Minister, Cordel Hyde. Also present were ministers of state, Dr. Louis Zabaneh and Hon. Gilroy Usher. Making an appearance as well was former United Democratic Party Prime Minister, Dean Barrow and former UDP ministers Michael Finnegan and Anthony “Boots” Martinez. Former foreign minister Assad Shoman was also up front and center in the march, and former foreign minister Godfrey Smith joined too. By the time they rallied at the Battlefield Park, the crowd had swelled to about 300 people. With Belize and Palestine flags waving, the call was for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
PM Briceño affirmed that the Government of Belize condemns Hamas at the same time that it recognizes that Israel has a right to defend itself. However, he exclaimed, “Israel does not have the right to commit genocide against the Palestinian people.” He remarked that, just as Belize was given the right to self-determination, the Palestinian people should also be afforded that right. As to the evangelical churches’ view that Belize’s suspension of ties with Israel was an extreme stance, Briceno said, “Our Lord did not give a right to anyone to commit genocide on anybody, and today we are seeing that the Israeli government – not the people – because there are many Israelis that are against the bombardment of Gaza; so we are against what the Government is doing, and the churches need to make a differentiation in that.”
Minister Kareem Musa revealed that his grandfather came to Belize from Palestine when he was about 16 years old, “no doubt avoiding a serious system of apartheid that has engulfed Palestine for the last 75 years – settler occupation, settler colonialism to the point of controlling every single aspect of your life.” Musa is also conscious of the loss of innocent lives in Israel and said, “There are no winners in this war, and so it is important that the superpowers call upon Israel to demand that there is a ceasefire now.”
The demonstrators were marching on the day when a 4-day humanitarian pause was announced for hostages to be freed and supplies to flow to Gaza, but the rallying cry on the ground today in Belize was for a permanent ceasefire if there is to be a two-state solution. Musa, in particular, stated, “It cannot be that I will not kill you at 8:00 a.m. this morning, but I will decide to kill you at 8:00 p.m. tonight.”
For his part, Shoman referenced a statement by Pope Francis today that the violence by the state of Israel and Hamas has gone beyond war to become terrorism.
Apart from long-time migrants from the Middle East and Belizeans who stand in solidarity with Palestine, a small group of students from St. John’s College Junior College also joined the march. Young Amani Humes told Amandala, “Colonization is not new to us in Belize. We have been colonized before. I agree that everybody should be free, and I feel bad for the people in Gaza and the people in Palestine. And I feel as if they should have a voice, and Belizeans should help them and promote their voices because they can’t lift their voices up at this moment.”
But even as Belizeans demonstrated openly in solidarity with Palestine, some of those present highlighted that the number of supporters is greater than those who came out, except that many are business people with connections to businesses in the United States, and they fear repercussions, including potentially during any visa application process. Amir Zriba, a Libyan national who migrated to Belize years ago, remarked that, whereas Israel has gotten away with its victimization of Palestinians, this year, people around the world are expressing solidarity because Israel’s war crimes are being exposed through the media. Lebanese Belizean Hamed Yassin expressed concern that Israel’s war on Hamas could grow into a greater conflict in the Middle East.
One lonely voice in the wilderness in today’s march was Sylvia Waight, who had some sharp criticism for the Prime Minister and questioned, “We are proud to be congratulated by a terrorist group?”
The march was organized by Dean Barrow, Said Musa, Godfrey Smith and Assad Shoman. Barrow, who did not remain for the entirety of the march and who had said he would not attend due to spinal issues, made the sacrifice to participate. He said it’s the least he could do to decry the atrocity in Gaza.
A group calling itself United Churches circulated a flyer announcing a “Peace for Israel March” in Belmopan next Tuesday that will end at the steps of the National Assembly.
Should Belize expect repercussions over Israel decision?
While some demonstrators say fear impacted the turnout at Belize’s Peace in Palestine March, there is the lingering view that Belize is yet to face repercussions for its Israel decision from superpower United States, of whom Israel is a major ally. The Prime Minister declared that in the months to come, those who are unhappy with Belize’s decision to suspend diplomatic relations with Israel will “be able to reflect and to understand that we as a country, we as a people also have a right to make our own decision.”
Police Minister Kareem Musa was asked specifically about the Belize travel advisory issued by the United States Department of State on November 13, one day before Belize announced its decision on Israel, but 5 days after the Government of Belize sent a protest note to Israel. The U.S. Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Michelle Kwan, told the media that the travel advisory “has no substitute change. It updates every 6 months.” Asked pointedly if it had to do with Belize’s decision on Israel, she said “it’s a separate assessment.” However, a cursory review on the website of the U.S. Department of State yields only a February 16, 2022 travel ALERT from the U.S. Embassy. Confronted with that information, Minister Musa said the official position of the U.S. must be taken at face value “because they are our strategic partner in many different aspects … so we have to accept their word for it. Of course, it does come at a very coincidental time. I don’t see how you can issue a travel advisory – a new one (if there is a new one) – when crime is at its very lowest since 2007. That is over 16 years that we have not seen a crime rate this low … And so, it is totally unjustified.”
Assad Shoman said he does not believe they would try to “single out little Belize to take any kind of repressive measures.” He said, though, that if they do, Belizeans must stand firm and stand strong, because “what is unfurling in Gaza right now – take a look at the bigger picture. You know, we are horrified about the babies. Look beyond the babies. This is a test for a new world order almost – if Israel can get away with it. If Israel can blatantly laugh at the world and say, ‘yes, I’m killing babies, so what?’ If they can get away with it with the support of the United States, the whole international system that we have known will fall apart, and it is that system – weak as it is – that we have depended on for so long to defend us against any threats. Against the United Kingdom that wanted to give away our land. Against the Guatemalan generals at the time that wanted to invade our land. So, if that system falls, then we are in trouble. So, it’s not just Israel and Gaza.”