by Linda Straker
- Grenada and Israel established diplomatic relations in January 1975
- Dr Alvin Schonfeld still Grenada’s ambassador to Israel
- Dr Schnofeld is based in Chicago, USA and is on Abrahamic Business Circle advisory board
Neila Ettienne, Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister has confirmed that despite the Government’s public declaration immediately after winning the June 2022 General Elections that all diplomatic appointments of the former New National Party (NNP) were recalled, the appointment of Dr Alvin Schonfeld as ambassador to Israel was not affected and he continues to represent Grenada.
Grenada and Israel established diplomatic relations in January 1975, eleven months after Grenada gained independence from Great Britain. “My office is not aware of a new Ambassador to Israel. If we do have one it has not yet been brought to my attention. If a new ambassador is to be appointed, the public will be informed accordingly,” she responded via email after several questions were submitted to her on 20 February 2024 inquiring details about Dr Schonfeld’s appointment.
According to Dr Schnofeld’s LinkedIn page, he was appointed to serve as Grenada’s Ambassador to Israel in 2018 and, as of February 2024, he has been in the position for 5 years and 8 months. He is a pulmonologist based in Chicago.
Following the announcement by Foreign Minister Joseph Andall that all previously appointed diplomatic positions were recalled, cancelled, or revoked, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the 22 September 2023 edition of the Government Gazette, published the names of several ambassadors and honorary consuls terminating their services.
“Please be advised that Cabinet at its meeting of 8th August 2023 terminated, with immediate effect, the diplomatic appointments of the persons listed in the attached list,” said the Notice which was subtitled “Termination of Diplomatic Appointments” and signed by Roxie Mc Leish-Hutchinson, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A review of the list did not show Schnofeld’s name among the diplomats whose appointments were terminated. Among the terminated were Yuchen Justin Sun who was Ambassador for Science and Emerging Technology, Grenada’s Mission to the United Nations; Fang Siyuan Commercial Counsellor in the Embassy of Russia; Fahad Sultan, Ahmed Ambassador-at-Large in Pakistan with a focus on Inward Investment and Carl Cooper Special Advisor on International Business.
Dr Schnofeld serves on the advisory board of the Abrahamic Business Circle — an exclusive organisation that comes on the back of the “Abraham Accord” a historic breakthrough agreement between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel, signed on 15 September 2020 in Washington DC, USA. The Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements on Arab–Israeli normalisation signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and Israel and Bahrain on 15 September 2020.
Israel’s latest refusal to accept the Palestinian offer for a cease-fire and prisoner exchange demonstrates again that it only wants to continue the killing. Furthermore, the latest cold-blooded assault on Palestinians in Rafah – most of whom are displaced, having had to escape their homes in other parts of the Gaza Strip, presents an urgent need for the international community to intervene. The purpose of the intervention is to force Israel to comply with terms that will make it impossible for it to continue the killing. An absolute guarantee for the safety and security of Palestinians must be put in place and monitored by the international community. All the negotiations so far began with the assumption that the Palestinians had to disarm and release hostages. However, it is time to change the equation. Since Israel is the aggressor, the source of the violence and has shown an insatiable appetite for killing Palestinians, the demand must be for Israel to disarm and release the thousands of Palestinians held in its prisons. Furthermore, Israel must immediately lift the siege on Gaza and allocate billions of dollars necessary to rebuild and rehabilitate the Gaza Strip and its people. While the main focus since October 7, 2023, has been on Gaza, Israel’s crimes against humanity continue throughout all of Palestine. In the Naqab, in Hebron, and throughout the West Bank, in Jerusalem, in Lyd, Yafa and Ramle, and all the way to Northern Galilee, Palestinians are living in a state of terror. Afraid for their lives, not daring to leave their homes, fearful for their children’s lives and unable to communicate their fears because the Israel intelligence services are listening. Therefore, any agreement must include demands that will improve conditions for Palestinians throughout all of Palestine. Israel must remove barriers and checkpoints that inhibit free movement for Palestinians. Settlers must be disarmed, and the authority of the Israeli military, police, and intelligence service to arrest, torture, and kill Palestinians must be curtailed. Israel must be forced to accept these conditions; it cannot be left to the Israeli government’s will. Until such time that Israel demonstrates that these conditions are met, there should be sanctions against the Zionist State. An arms embargo must be placed, and any party, state or otherwise, breaking the embargo must be penalized. There must be a no-fly zone declared over the Gaza Strip so that Israel can no longer endanger the lives of the Palestinians living within it. Israeli diplomatic missions must be closed down, and representatives of Israel in other countries must all be sent back home. If the world is serious about ending the killing of Palestinians and allowing those who survive to rehabilitate and live free, then severe measures must be taken. Israel must be forced to comply with these conditions or be punished. Israel must pay for its crimes, and the heavier the cost, the more chances there are of compliance.
Well said Sir.
This White SUPREMACIST Racists Zionists Regime must be isolated. This Zionists Apartheid Regime gave nuclear weapons to Apartheid South Africa to kill and enslaved Black People. They are now waging a war against progressive Black Americans in Congress and academia who refuse to bow to Zionists EVIL. Grenada must lead the way and expel these Apartheid AshkeNazi Demons from our land. The Genocide continues in Gaza so it can not be business as usual. Some Diplomatic smack down is required to let these White SUPREMACIST know Genocide is not acceptable to Grenadians.