The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Roey Gilad, has sounded the alarm on Iran's destabilising role in the Middle East, labelling it a "negative force" behind the region's terrorism and violence.

He said Iran's proxies across the region are the cause of wars and instability in the Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Ambassador Gilad emphasised that Iran's nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile programme are a recipe for disaster and must be stopped.

"Iran's pursuit of nuclear capabilities and long-range missiles is a threat not just to Israel, but to the entire world," he warned.

The ambassador's remarks underscore deep-seated concerns about Iran's aggressive behaviour in the region, including its support for militant groups like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.

"Iran is the root cause of instability and terrorism in the Middle East," Ambassador Gilad stated, calling for concerted international pressure to curb Tehran's nuclear and military ambitions.

He blamed Iran for the October 7 Hamas attack on his country, in which 1200 were murdered while 251 people were taken hostage.

Concerning the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, Ambassador Roey Gilad stated that Israel would welcome the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip, as it desires friendly relations with the 2 million people living there.

However, he emphasised that as long as Hamas dominates Gaza and retains its weapons, rebuilding won't be possible.

He stressed that the international community's first responsibility is to work through the International Stabilisation Force to dismantle Hamas and eliminate its weapons.

Ambassador Gilad noted that Israel is particularly sensitive to Hamas' claims of disarmament, given the surprise attack on October 7.

"Israel won't be caught off guard again," he stressed.

The ambassador highlighted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a positive force in rebuilding Gaza, unlike Qatar and Turkey.

He mentioned that the UAE, along with the United States and other countries, is eager to support reconstruction efforts, starting from southern Gaza (Rafah) to the north.

However, Ambassador Gilad cautioned that unless Gaza is demilitarised and decommissioned, no reconstruction effort can succeed.

The Israeli diplomat's comments come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the international community over Tehran's nuclear programme.

In response to a question from a journalist asking whether Ghana requests Israel's support to fight terrorism, Ambassador Gilad said his country's door is open if Ghana wants a joint counter-terrorism programme.

In case it happens, the initiative will enhance Ghana's capacity to tackle terrorism, given the country's strategic location in the region and recent attacks on neighbouring countries.

The joint programme will focus on intelligence sharing, capacity building, and training for Ghanaian security agencies.

Israel, with its extensive experience in counter-terrorism, is expected to provide expertise and resources to support Ghana's efforts to prevent and respond to terrorist threats.

"We are witnessing a surge in terrorist activities in West Africa, and Ghana is not immune to these threats," Ambassador Gilad said.

The collaboration with Israel is seen as a significant boost to Ghana's counter-terrorism efforts.

The programme is expected to cover areas such as border security, intelligence gathering, and counter-radicalisation initiatives.

By working together, Ghana and Israel aim to prevent the spread of terrorism and promote regional stability