The Israeli Embassy in Nigeria has urged the international community to confront ideologies that promote terrorism, make perpetrators accountable, and apply the same standards to all.
Racheli Stavissky, chargé d’affaires of the embassy, made the call at a screening of the film ‘12 Hours in October’ in Abuja on Wednesday night to commemorate the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
The film, directed by Danny Abeckaser, depicts the terror and chaos experienced during the first 12 hours of the attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.
The attacks killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw more than 250 others, including children and older people, abducted, according to Israeli figures.
Ms Stavissky said the international community should reject the perceived choice between showing compassion for civilians and maintaining moral clarity on terrorism.
“We could hold both principles at once,” she said, stressing the need to recognise the suffering terrorism inflicted on innocent civilians. “We must call, together, for a free Middle East, free of terror organisations and terror regimes that aim to destabilise not only Israel, but Europe, America, and Africa as well.”
Ms Stavissky said lasting peace required more than declarations and diplomatic resolutions, urging the international community to confront ideologies that promote violence and hold those responsible accountable.
She said the film sought to offer a glimpse into the fear, confusion, courage and heartbreak experienced by people whose ordinary lives were transformed by violence.
According to her, the film encourages viewers to look beyond headlines and statistics to the human experiences of families struggling to survive, loved ones searching for one another and lives changed within hours.
“I invite you to watch with an open heart and to remember that behind every story is a human being, behind every loss is a family, and behind every statistic is a life that mattered,” she said.
The envoy reaffirmed Israel’s determination to rebuild and protect its people, expressing hope that children would be able to live without fear of terrorism.
She also prayed for the repose of those killed in the attacks and for the healing of survivors, urging continued efforts against terrorism, antisemitism and hatred.
“May the international community find moral clarity to confront those who threaten peace, rather than placing the greatest burden on those whose people have suffered from their violence. May the day come when we can all live in security, dignity, and peace. Until then, we remember. We bear witness, and we will never forget,” she said.
(NAN)