Israeli soldiers gather in a staging area near the border with Gaza Strip, in southern Israel Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Photo: AP/Ariel Schalit

Speaking during a television programme ‘Eyes on the Middle East, Implications for our Region’ Gonsalves said a wider spread of this conflict could be worse than Ukraine.  

He said there are large geopolitical questions at stake and all of them will have an impact. 

“Already we are having an impact on oil prices and they will go up even more because this is going to be a prolonged battle,” said Gonsalves.  

The prime minister said the conflict can also impact the Caribbean region as it draws attention away from other matters. For instance, he said with COP28 UAE coming up, he believes a lot of that will take place in the shadow of Ukraine and this particular war which is going on. He believes attention is going to be drawn and economic and political oxygen is going to be pulled away.

The Carribean politician warns there is also a real danger of this conflagration becoming wider as he notes small countries in the region are already reeling from external adverse influences and adverse pressures.  

“It will become worse...our people have to brace for a difficult period and this requires knowledgeable, understanding, experienced leaders with great wisdom to bring to bear on all of these questions.” 

Gonsalves is urging his fellow CARICOM colleagues to continue to push for peace and a resolution to the conflict.