…As Tau says Israel’s “unjustified justifications” for Gaza war did not deserve a hearing
Mohloai Mpesi
THE government has mounted a robust defence of Lesotho’s boycott of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly.
It insists the stay-away was a calculated protest against what it describes as Israel’s “disproportionate revenge” in Gaza.
Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister, Limpho Tau, said Lesotho saw no reason to sit through Mr Netanyahu’s defence of the war. He said Lesotho had deliberately stayed out alongside dozens of other states.
Lesotho was among the countries whose delegations either walked out as Mr Netanyahu took the podium in New York on Thursday or stayed away from the chamber altogether.
The Israeli leader was left to deliver his defence of Israel’s military campaigns to rows of vacant seats.
Reports put the number of countries that walked out or were absent at about 77. The United Nations has not published an official roll call.
Speaking to the Sunday Express from New York on Friday, Mr Tau said the stay-away had been coordinated.
“Yes, Lesotho was among those that staked out, as a coordinated effort to express displeasure at Israel’s conduct in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
He was blunt about why Lesotho would not listen to the speech.
“Lesotho has no reason to listen to the unjustified justifications of Israel’s actions in Gaza by the Israeli Prime Minister at the UN General Assembly,” Mr Tau said.
His remarks place Lesotho squarely within the widening international protest against the war in Gaza.
“Lesotho recognises Palestine as an independent, sovereign state. Lesotho shall continue to advocate for a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine coexisting as two friendly neighbours living in peace,” he said.
The minister said Lesotho condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. However, he reserved his harshest words for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“Lesotho condemns Hamas’s terrorist actions of 7 October 2023. Lesotho condemns, in much stronger terms, Israel’s disproportionate revenge on Palestine, which bears all the marks of genocide – against women, children, journalists, unarmed persons, hospitals, schools and universities,” he said.
Mr Tau said Lesotho’s position rested on several principles. He listed respect for the sovereignty and equality of states, the right to self-determination and the peaceful settlement of disputes. He also cited the non-use or threat of force against other states, and non-alignment.
Israel rejects accusations that it has committed genocide. It maintains that its campaign in Gaza was directed at Hamas, which it regards as a threat to its security.
The war began after Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023. According to Israeli authorities, they killed about 1 200 people and took more than 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has devastated Gaza, killing and displacing Palestinians on a massive scale. On Thursday, the day Mr Netanyahu spoke, the Gaza Health Ministry put the Palestinian death toll at 73 928. Israel disputes the ministry’s figures.
Mr Netanyahu was unrepentant. As the delegates filed out, he taunted those who remained.
“If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now,” he said.
He went on to dismiss the genocide accusation as “the biggest lie of the century”. He insisted that Israel had not committed genocide and had instead prevented one.
At home, the boycott drew praise from the opposition benches.
Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa Mofomobe used Friday’s sitting of the National Assembly to commend the delegation. He described the stay-away as a shrewd diplomatic move. In his view, it allowed Lesotho to stand with Palestinians without openly confronting the United States, Israel’s most powerful ally.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Lesotho delegation at the United Nations, where the session of the General Assembly is being held,” Mr Mofomobe said.
“I realised that diplomatically we are smart, and it shows the strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations under Minister Tau.
“That gesture of not attending Netanyahu’s speech should be congratulated. It shows that we stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, who experience daily the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government.”
MPs applauded his remarks.
Prime Minister Sam Matekane also used his own address to stamp Lesotho’s position on the conflict. Speaking from the General Assembly’s iconic green marble podium, he welcomed the truce between Israel and Hamas and called for a permanent settlement.
“We welcome the ceasefire framework and stabilisation arrangement in Gaza and call for sustained engagement to achieve a lasting solution based on the 1967 borders, where Israelis and Palestinians can coexist in peace and harmony,” Mr Matekane said.
“Regarding the broader conflict, we urge all parties to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution, as its impact is dire and devastating; humanity cannot continue to bear the high cost of these wars.”
The ceasefire he referred to took effect on 10 October 2025. It halted more than two years of full-scale war between Israel and Hamas. It has not stopped the killing, however. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 1 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the truce began.
Mr Matekane also reaffirmed Lesotho’s commitment to the United Nations and international law.
“The Kingdom of Lesotho reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, multilateral systems and the rule of law,” he said.
“International law remains a cornerstone of sovereign equality, peaceful coexistence and sustainable development.
“The rise in regional conflicts is a cause for deep concern. We call for effective diplomatic solutions to secure lasting peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and the Eastern DRC.”
He said the UN must keep investing in conflict prevention and in institutions capable of promoting peace and good governance.
“As the United Nations, we must continue investing in conflict prevention and building strong democratic institutions grounded in good governance, peace and respect for international law,” Mr Matekane said.
He also renewed Lesotho’s call for sanctions against Cuba and Zimbabwe to be lifted, arguing that they punish ordinary citizens.
“My delegation continues to call for the lifting of long-standing sanctions on Cuba and Zimbabwe. These measures deprive innocent civilians of their right to development,” he said.