Sri Lankan lawmakers express mixed views on Israel-Palestine conflict

• Former President Sirisena said SLFP would continue its traditional pro Palestine line

By Yohan Perera   

Sri Lankan Parliament yesterday called for a ceasefire in Gaza and called for a peaceful solution to the Israel Palestine conflict.   

SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa who was speaking during the debate on the Israel Palestine conflict said one road in Palestine is named after his father former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “We cannot condone violence unleashed by both sides involved in the conflict. What is needed is a peaceful situation,” he said.   

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said his party SLFP would continue with its traditional pro Palestine line. “We will stick to our traditional line but would stress for a peaceful solution to the conflict,” he said. 

 
However MP Sarath Weerasekera who compared the situation in the Middle East with the civil in Sri Lanka said the two situations are different. “There are no similarities between the Gaza conflict and the Sri Lankan civil war. 

It is ironical to see members of Tamil Diaspora who opposed Sri Lankan government for confronting LTTE backing Israel who is engaged in killing innocent people. There should be a peaceful solution to the Gaza issue,” he said.   
Tamil National People’s Front MP Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam held an opposite view and said Sri Lankan government did the same thing in the North and the East which Israel is doing in Gaza today. “Hospitals in the North were bombed during the Sri Lankan civil war just like what is done today in Gaza by Israel.   

MP Rauff Hakeem questioned as to whether the Sri Lankan government is afraid of Israel. “Who told Israel that genocide is justifiable just because a terror group attacked its people. I wonder whether the Sri Lankan government is afraid of Israel.”   

JJB MP Vijitha Herath said what is needed is a universal call for a ceasefire in Gaza. “This is not a time to find out who is right and who is wrong. What is needed is an amicable solution to the Israel and Palestine conflict. Nations such as USA should realize this situation and push for a peaceful solution,” he said.   Opposition MP Udaya Gammanpila who moved the debate said Sri Lanka should device a plan to minimize the effects it could suffer as a result of the conflict. “It is questionable as to whether Sri Lanka has done its homework in this regard,” he said.