Israel, Palestine war: Ghana calls for ceasefire
Ghana has appealed to Israel and Palestine to return to the negotiation table to resolve the decade-long conflict between them.
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"We are deeply saddened at the thousands of lives that have perished on both sides in the ongoing war and the resultant dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
"The government of Ghana takes this opportunity to, once again, call on the leadership of Hamas to unconditionally release the remaining hostages, and bring the war to an end," the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan Acheampong, stated.
Dr Acheampong stated Ghana government's position on the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine, when he led a government delegation to the 76th Independence anniversary of the State of Israel at the Residence of the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Accra.
Tackling terrorism
He said the October 27, 2023 attack on Israel should serve as a reminder of the need for concerted global action to tackle terrorism in all its manifestations. "Ghana joins the international community to call for the unconditional release of all the hostages," he emphasised.
Dr Acheampong stressed the need for concerted effort by all UN Member States to foster peace in the Middle East and peaceful coexistence between Israeli and Palestinian people as well as respect for member state soverignty and territorial integrity.
"We applaud in this regard, Israel's effort at fostering better relations not only with its neighbours but globally," he added.
Bilateral relations
He said Ghana cherished its longstanding relations with Israel and the efforts that had been made over the years, to deepen the bilateral relations through cooperations in several fields.
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"Our bilateral relations have also been deepened through various visits at senior officials, parliamentary and ministerial levels with most recent being the visit of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Eli Cohen," the minister added.
Dr Acheampong expressed his conviction that the sky was not the limit for Ghana-Israel bilateral relations and was hopeful that the two countries would work together to explore new areas of cooperation to the mutual benefit of the two people.
He commended the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Shlomit Sufa, for the work she did to further deepen Ghana-Israel relations during her three-year tour of duty.
Addressing guests, Mrs Sufa catelogued successful and the deepen relations Israel had achieved so far with Ghana in areas such as politics, energy, innovation, health, education, agriculture, cyber security, fintech among others.
She expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the support and hospitality she had received during her three-year tour of duty in the country.
Israel's journey
Reflecting on the journey of Israel, the challenges and the resilience that defined the people of Israel, Mrs Sufa said, "Israel's story is one of heroism and resilience in the face of adversity."
"From the very inception of our State, we have been tested by numerous challeges - hardship, wars, terrorism, and diplomatic isolation. "Through it all, we have persevered, standing strong and united by our unwavering commitment to our values and determination to secure a better future for our people," she stated.