Tuggar To Israel: ‘Palestine Deserves To Exist As An Independent Nation’

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has called on Israel to drop its ‘double standards’ and stop the killings in Gaza.

Tuggar, who was part of the delegation led by President Bola Tinubu to Qatar, made the call in an interview with Al Jazeera.

During their visit to the Asian country, President Tinubu and Qatari authorities had several meetings where potential collaboration in the energy, trade, labour and agriculture sectors were discussed.

However, following the meetings, Tuggar granted an interview with Al Jazeerah to discuss Nigeria’s upcoming projects and relationship with other countries.

Responding to a question on the unending conflict between Israel and Palestine, the minister asked Israel to stop killing innocent civilians in Gaza.

“There is no justification for the carnage that is going on in Gaza. It has to stop. There is no justification for the complete disregard for the proportionality of force that is being meted out on innocent civilians, on kids on children, on babies on women,” Tuggar said.

While calling on Israel to drop what he described as a double standard, the minister maintained that the situation is no longer unacceptable.

He reiterated Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution to the lingering conflict between the two entities, adding that Palestine has every right to exist like Israel.

The minister said, “Nigeria has been consistent with its support for a two-state solution. The state of Palestine has every right to exist as an independent sovereign nation, the same way that Israel has a right to exist as an independent sovereign nation.

“But this carnage is completely out of hand and totally unacceptable. There is no way to explain the double standards; it has to stop.”

Tuggar also stressed the independence of Nigeria as a sovereign nation, saying the West African country gets along with all countries and is not compelled to follow any other country’s lead.