William Tolbert, Palestine & Liberia's political shift in the 1970s
“We must equally insist on full recognition and respect for the national rights of the Palestinian people by the state of Israel, especially their right to self-determination and a state of their own. Israel must withdraw from all occupied Arab territories.” - William R. Tolbert Jr.
The 1970s marked a significant period for Liberia’s political landscape. It began with the end of William V.S. Tubman’s 27 year presidency, the longest in the country’s history, and welcomed William R. Tolbert Jr. as Liberia’s new leader. Up Until the death of William V.S. Tubman, Liberia was in political alignment with the West, reflecting its position as a colonial project of the United States. If the U.S. went right, Liberia did too. If the U.S. opposed independence struggles of nations across the Global South, Liberia did too. This meant making the country especially hostile to any movements leaning towards socialism or communism that could inspire dissent within the colony.
LIBERIA LACKS COMMUNISTS: FREEDOM FROM PROBLEM REPORTED BY RETURN / Ward, Paul W
The Sun (1837-); Jun 7, 1950; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun pg. 8
With Tolbert’s presidency, Liberia began to step further and further away from the political ideologies of the West and inch closer towards a Pan-Africanist approach. Tolbert rejected the foreign policies advocated by the U.S. and sought to establish a more distinctly Liberian perspective. He expanded Liberia’s international relations by cultivating alliances with Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Peoples Republic of China. Tolbert also called for changes to Liberia’s constitution, flag, national anthem and national slogan to better reflect the country’s rich heritage. Furthermore, he actively participated in the Organization of African Unity conference, where proposals for an all-African defense alliance were discussed.
Image of William R. Tolbert Jr & Sekou Toure / Liberia Newsletter, Vol. 7 No. 29, Spring 1979
Tolbert’s political shift became especially evident in 1973 when Liberia severed its diplomatic ties with Israel, which diverged from William Tubman's pro-Israeli stance. This shift was further emphasized by Tolbert’s United Nation Address where he condemned Israel’s occupation of Palestine saying:
“If current peace initiatives in the Middle East are to lead to a comprehensive, just and durable settlement, it would seem imperative in our view that the framework of negotiation be expanded to include the Palestinian people, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization. For the Palestinian people alone are entitled to speak for themselves, and their participation is indispensable to the success of any peace initiatives in the Middle East…We must equally insist on all recognition and respect for the national rights of the Palestinian people by the state of Israel, especially their right to self-determination and a state of their own.”
Despite pressure from the United States for Liberia to resume talks with Israel,Tolbert reaffirmed his stance in 1979 saying:
“We're insistent on Israel's withdrawal from territories occupied since the war and on its recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people,” said Mr. Tolbert, who is the chairman of the Organization of African Unity. “When African heads of state recognize Israel moving in this direction, then they would be encouraged to talk.”
William Tolbert remained steadfast in his call for Israel's withdrawal from Palestine until his assassination on April 12, 1980. Despite the reversal of many of Liberia's political shifts during Samuel K. Doe's presidency, Tolbert offered Liberians a glimpse of the possibilities that emerged when the country broke free from its reliance on the West as its political compass and charted its own course. While Tolbert's presidency had its shortcomings, he challenged US neocolonialism more vigorously than any other Liberian president.