President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in his capacity as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and President of Uganda, has issued a strong and nuanced statement addressing the protracted Middle East conflict.
In the detailed address, Museveni outlined four critical mistakes that, in his view, have exacerbated tensions in the region—targeting ideological rigidity, historical denial, foreign interference, and the overreliance on force.
The statement follows a complaint by the Iranian Ambassador to Uganda over Uganda’s silence on the crisis. Museveni clarified that Uganda had been engaging privately with key actors and chose this moment to publicly “externalize” the country’s long-held positions.
Iranian Denial of Israel’s Legitimacy
President Museveni faulted Iranian Islamists for rejecting Israel’s historical and biblical connection to the Middle East.
“Their stand that Israel is a ‘transplant’ in the Middle East and does not belong there legitimately is a mistake,” Museveni said, citing biblical history and the suffering of Jews after their dispersion by the Romans.
He also criticized the British colonial suggestion to settle Jews in Uganda as “absurd,” lauding the Jews for rejecting it and insisting on their ancestral homeland in Palestine. “It was, therefore, correct that the United Nations decided to partition Palestine among the two People,” he stated.
Israel’s Rejection of a Two-State Solution
Museveni next turned to Israel, condemning its continued refusal to accept a two-state solution and its dismissal of Palestinian identity. “It is not correct for them to say that the Palestinians do not belong there,” Museveni emphasized.
He likened such reasoning to the logic used by former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin when expelling Asians from Uganda: “We rejected that logic.”
Western Imperialism and the 1953 Iranian Coup
Museveni held Western powers—particularly the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—responsible for igniting long-term resentment in Iran by orchestrating the overthrow of then–Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh.
“It is them that created that huge resentment that produced these clerics who have their own mistaken positions,” Museveni argued.
He criticized both Islamic and Christian fundamentalism, recalling their historical damage. “Fundamentalists of all types — Islamic or Christian — are a danger to humanity,” he warned, pointing to Sudan’s destruction and the Christian Inquisition as examples.
Use of External Force
The fourth mistake, Museveni said, is believing that external military intervention can solve internal problems.
“Force should be for legitimate defence and not for aggression,” he asserted, listing failed historical interventions—from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the Soviet invasion attempts—as cautionary tales. “All failed and, sometimes, the interventionists ended up disappearing,” he said.
Museveni called on all actors—particularly Iran and Israel—to embrace diplomacy and mutual recognition. “Iran and the Islamists should listen to our advice to recognize Israel, and Israel should implement the two states solution.”
In closing, Museveni appealed for a spiritual reawakening and divine guidance in navigating the path forward: “May we have the willingness to humble ourselves and pray and ask for God’s wisdom, that we may do what is right in His eyes.”
His statement reinforces Uganda’s non-aligned stance and offers a rare blend of political analysis, historical context, and spiritual appeal—urging all sides in the Middle East to “draw back from the use of force and go back to principled diplomacy.”
