THE CABLE
Michael Freeman, Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, says his country will do everything possible to defeat the Palestinian militant group, Hamas.
In the early hours of Saturday, the Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel in an unprecedented assault.
At least 100 people in Israel were confirmed killed at the onset of the invasion, with many more left badly injured.
Nearly 200 people were killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes in the Gaza strip.
Mohammed Deif, Hamas military commander, had said the attacks were a reprisal for Israel’s “desecration” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Deif alleged that Israel killed and wounded hundreds of Palestinians this year.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Freeman said the ongoing battle between Israel and the Palestinian group was caused by hatred.
“This is about good and evil. This is about civilisation and barbarism. Either you stand with people who are defending themselves or you stand with those who cut their heads off babies, that is what this is about,” Freeman said.
“It is not about anything else. Nigeria has also known terrorism. You know what it is like when terror groups like Boko Haram kidnap young girls.
“There is never a reason for it except for hate. This is not about religion. This is not about Islam or Judaism or Christianity, this is about evil and good.
“These Hamas terrorists are using the name of Islam. I have spoken to many Muslims, imams, religious leaders who have expressed their shock and their outrage and their disgust of what we have seen because they know that this gives a bad name to anybody who is claiming to be doing this in the name of Islam.
