Palestine ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tamer Almassri has commended authorities in Zimbabwe for their vigilance in preparing for the forthcoming elections amid calls for external forces to desist from interfering with the process.
The calls come at a time the Southern Africa nation is geared to hold elections later this year in a development which has seen a number of Western countries indicating deep interest over the manner in which the process is set to be conducted.
To this end the European Union and the United States have since made it clear that Harare is expected to conduct the plebiscite fairly.
But speaking exclusively to NewZimbabwe.com this week, Almassri instead commended President Emerson Mnangagwa for braving the preps despite backlash.
“I want to highlight the preparations of the government to hold clear elections for the country .We totally support the type of diplomacy being initiated by our comrades in Zanu-pf. Zimbabwe has demonstrated interest by keeping the promise and priority of democracy inspired by the challenges,” he said.
He added that the process signifies an interest and commitment to safeguard the country’s reputation as an exemplary democracy on the continent.
Almassri called on Harare to be on the lookout for Israel’s interference with the process.
“The Guardian Newspaper published a report about Israeli interference in more than 30 countries, most of them in Africa and Latin America.
“We warn our brothers to be wary of the destructive interference of Israel on the continent. This is an apartheid regime and they have supported political movements which share similar views as was the case in pre-independent South Africa as well as in Southern Rhodesia,” he said.
He underscored that it is clear that Israel and other like-minded countries are not happy with the progressive leadership and independence of Zimbabwe.
“The Israeli destructive role is very clear and nobody can hide it. Even more recently when Turkey experienced a disaster last month. Israel dispatched a team under the guise of providing humanitarian assistance. But we later discovered that they were stealing ancient scrolls from the Turkish Museums only to claim that they were under security threat and cut short their stay.
“We hope that the elections process in Zimbabwe will move smoothly without any such disturbances,” he said.
Almassri expressed hope that the polls will be one of the clearest processes in the country and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support expressed by Zimbabweans against the Israeli- Apartheid invasion of Palestine.