Diplomatic Forum: IRIC Hosts Israeli Ambassador

He drilled students of the institute on the Israeli –Palestinian relations on Friday 23, January 2015.

Ambassador Nadav Cohen before delving into his lecture proper chronicled the history of Palestine which he said began only from 1920 and evoked sad memories of the Holocaust during which over 6 million Jewish people were killed. Speaking on the theme “Israel in the Middle East; Israeli-Palestinian Relations: Cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian entity.

The Recognition of the State of Palestine by the International community and its implications for Israel”, the diplomat said Israel in spite having signed peace agreements with its neighbours like Egypt and Jordan, still faces security challenges. He noted that Palestine is not ready to compromise in order for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to conclude peace talks. “We can’t conclude the entire agreement until we conclude everything,” the diplomat remarked.

His Excellency Nadav Cohen stressed that issues of security, territory, refugee settlement, border crisis and the control over city of Jerusalem are major obstacles to the peace process. The situation is further compounded by the difference in approach in resolving the crisis between Israel and Palestine.

The Ambassador held that the State of Israel, in spite all odds has developed its society and is moving on. The State of Israel and the entity of Palestine he said however share some resources like water and cooperate in security issues, stating emphatically that Israel being their neighbour is their main future partner.

On his part, the Director of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), Pierre Emmanuel Tabi, highlighted the importance of the forum which he said is a traditional exchange between the students and high level diplomats.

To him, the presentation of the Israeli Ambassador to Cameroon on the theme that is at the centre of international relations is not only acquainting the students with knowledge about the relations between Israel and Palestine, but also reinforces their intellectual capacity.

According to the Director of IRIC, Cameroon where peace and security are cherished, hopes that the discussions would serve as a template for lasting solutions to the crisis.

The forum that lasted for more than two hours was also marked by questions and answers between the students and the Ambassador moderated by Professor Laurent Zang, Head of the Department of Diplomacy and Professional Training at IRIC