Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Sujeewa Senasinghe has been forced to retract a letter convening the inaugural meeting of a proposed Sri Lanka–Israel Parliamentary Friendship Association, after admitting it was issued “in error.”
The notice, dated 4 September, had invited MPs to attend the launch of the association on 12 September at Parliament. However, in a statement, Senasinghe acknowledged the move had been a “genuine mistake.”
“The letter signed by me convening the Israel–Sri Lanka friendship society was a genuine mistake. I have already informed the relevant authorities that I would withdraw that letter with immediate effect and to take necessary steps to cancel the same,” he said, adding that he had written to parliament officials to cancel the initiative.
Senasinghe also expressed regret, apologising “for any inconvenience caused to parliament, the parties involved, and the public.”
The retraction comes just days after SJB leader Sajith Premadasa took to the floor of parliament to condemn Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, describing it as a “genocide against the Palestinian people” and accusing Tel Aviv of committing war crimes.
His remarks, were a sharp contrast given the SJB’s own embrace of Sri Lankan war criminals, including former army commander Sarath Fonseka and other senior military figures accused of overseeing the 2009 Mullivaikkal genocide.
