H. E. Safa Khaldi, ambassador of Palestine to Slovakia (source: Courtesy of the Palestinian Embassy)
The history between Slovakia, Israel and Palestine is long and complex. Notwithstanding the Tiso regime’s complicity in handing Slovak Jews over to the Nazis during the Holocaust, postwar Czechoslovakia sold arms to Israel so it could fight and ultimately win the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. Israel’s victory dispossessed many Palestinians of their homes and caused a large number of refugees to spill out into the surrounding countries. The conflict between the two sides has been ongoing since, with the majority of Palestinians in Israeli-controlled areas residing in two non-contiguous areas, Gaza, the West Bank of the river Jordan and East Jerusalem.
The conflict entered a new phase on October 7, 2023, when Hamas, the fundamentalist paramilitary political movement that administers Gaza but has been designated a terrorist organisation by many states, launched an unprecedented attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel launched a war against Hamas in Gaza that has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 43,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
The conflict has destabilised the Middle East, with Iran as well as Iran-backed paramilitary groups in Yemen, Iraq and, most notably, Lebanon trading blows with Israel at various points over the last year. On November 26, Israel and Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon that has expressed solidarity with Hamas, agreed a 60-day ceasefire.
Gaza has an area of about 360 km2 and a population of roughly 2 million people. By comparison, Bratislava has an area of about 367 km2 and about one-quarter the population of Gaza.
In 1988, Czechoslovakia recognised the State of Palestine. Slovakia and Palestine then established diplomatic relations on January 1, 1993, when Slovakia became independent. The Palestinian Embassy in Bratislava is headed by Her Excellency Safa Khaldi. She is appointed by the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, or PLO, which is recognised internationally as the sole legitimate government of the State of Palestine. The Slovak Spectator spoke to her ahead of November 29, which is the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, commemorated annually by the UN since 1977.
Can you tell me about the state of Palestine. It is not a full member of the United Nations, correct?
I’d like to start by saying I'm happy to have this interview, especially in this significant time for the Palestinian people. November is a very important month for us. We have the 15th of November, where we celebrate the Declaration of Independence for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state [in 1988].
Since then over 127 now states have recognised the state of Palestine. In 2012 we were granted observer status as a member of the United Nations. We are looking forward to taking more legal steps to gain the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people and to make it a true fact for the Palestinian people.
That's why we raise our claim for a permanent seat in the General Assembly. This is now one of our priorities as the Palestinian government. We are looking forward to having more productive discussions with the government of Slovakia in this regard and we hope that international law will be implemented.
Do you know how many Palestinians reside in Slovakia?
