The lecture delivered by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OXCIS) last Friday, came at an opportune time particularly with regard to the Palestinian cause that is presently preoccupying the world at a time when the Gazan people are being subjected to mass extermination and displacement attempt with the aim of eliminating the issue once and for all.
Entitled ‘Talking to All for the Good of All: Diplomacy in a Multipolar World’, dealt with the Palestinian cause which he discussed in detail and highlighted its historical developments focusing on the obstacles that stand in the way of reaching a comprehensive settlement based on the two-state solution.
Sayyid Badr spoke frankly and categorically about the Hamas movement as one of the authentic Palestinian components.
He said: “Hamas cannot be eliminated. So, if peace is ever to be achieved, its makers will have to find a way to talk to them and listen to them as well.” Such a remark is to be added to the account of the Omani diplomacy. At a time when the Gazan people are being annihilated, some talk about the future of the Gaza Strip after the war and more than one party has expressed its willingness to bear responsibility for the Gaza Strip.
If Sayyid Badr believes that the Hamas movement cannot be eliminated, the Israeli Military Intelligence (Aman) is of the same opinion.
It ruled out eliminating Hamas movement, considering that “even if the army succeeds in defeating it, as a ruling regime in the Gaza Strip, Hamas will remain as an armed organisation. However, this opinion is inconsistent with the declared Israeli goals of the war on Gaza, i.e the overthrow of Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip, eliminate its military power, return Israeli prisoners from Gaza and ensure the presence of an administration in Gaza that does not pose a threat to Israel.
Among the points that I see crucial in the Foreign Minister’s lecture is his assertion that the establishment of a Palestinian state is an existential necessity and without a state the Palestinians are condemned to the constant threat of destitution, extermination and death.
In his opinion is that this state will allow us to see ourselves alongside an Israeli state as people with complex social and cultural identities rather than identities that are mostly defined on the basis of religious affiliations. In other words, we can return to the hopeful path of the Arab renaissance and Jerusalem can be one of its homelands.
Likewise, I also liked that he did not limit himself to propose the convening of an urgent international conference tasked to agree on the necessary arrangements for the establishment of a Palestinian state and to establish mechanisms for its implementation.
He stressed that Hamas’ presence in this conference would be one of the reasons for its success. Beside Hamas, the conference must be attended by all components of Palestinian society and it must be held in the presence of the leaders of a group of countries representing the global majority.
The minister’s opinion regarding the importance of abolishing the Security Council’s veto power which is, from my point of view, the most important proposal in this lecture because voting at the present time and as Sayyid Badr explained is based on political calculations of the five members who have the power to block any decision even if it was unanimous.
He is right in what he said about the importance of reforming international institutions based on the management of international relations so that these institutions are concordant with events of today’s world rather than focusing on finding solutions to problems of the past.
Indeed, his suggestion to start this process now by taking urgent collective action to establish a Palestinian state and taking practical steps to ensure the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, is correct.
Omans’ stance towards the Palestinian cause or the situation in Yemen is faultless. It is a firm attitude stemming from the firm Omani policy that distances the country from childish political squabbles. It enabled Oman to establish good relations with all parties in the region and qualified it to be an acceptable mediator to everyone.
We have become accustomed to this: Oman publicly declares what it believes and this is what was embodied by Sayyid Badr in this lecture.
At a time when some Arabs are contending to consider Hamas a terrorist movement, Sayyid Badr announced publicly during his meeting with a number of European journalists that Hamas is a resistance movement and not a terrorist organisation.
We cannot ignore the earlier statement of the Foreign Ministry of the Sultanate of Oman which considered that the continued dangerous escalation, the policy of collective punishment, and the gross violations of international law and international humanitarian law practiced by the Israeli occupation forces during their brutal war on the Gaza Strip, are deemed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Similarly, we cannot ignore the Sultanate of Oman’s confirmation that the Ansar Allah in Yemen are an essential component of the Yemeni people and there cannot be any solution without them. The Omani message was clear and straightforward regarding Oman’s support for the brothers in Palestine and their right to establish their independent state, and that under no circumstances can those who defend themselves and their right to exist be considered terrorists.
(Translated by Khalid Abdullah. The original article was published in Arabic language in Oman newspaper, sister publication of the Observer on February 19, 2024, Monday).
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, delivering a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, delivering a lecture at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
