JEDDAH: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reaffirmed Pakistan’s position on Gaza, calling for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.
He made these remarks during the 21st Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah. Ishaq Dar also urged the full implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution regarding the Palestine issue.
He emphasized the need for renewed and enhanced international support for UNRWA, which is vital for the survival of millions of Palestinians. The deputy prime minister further stated that the OIC must take a more proactive role in this regard.
Additionally, Ishaq Dar called for an end to forced displacement, the illegal expansion of settlements, and the annexation of Palestinian land, particularly in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
He said Israel’s declared intent to occupy Gaza city would be a deliberate attempt to obliterate Palestinian existence and heritage and it must be firmly opposed. Ishaq Dar also demanded accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He said Israel must not be allowed to act with impunity in defiance of the UN Charter international law, including international humanitarian law and the binding measures of the International Court of Justice.
Besides, he said any desecration of Al Aqsa Mosque is an intolerable provocation.
The incursions by Israeli officials into Al-Quds Al-Sharif are a deliberate assault on Muslim settlements, a blatant violation of international law, and a direct challenge to the collective conscience of the Muslim Ummah.
He said the OIC must remain vigilant and united in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites against all attempts at unilateral alteration.
Ishaq Dar urged the UN Security Council to impose a cost on Israel if it defies the demands and the will of the international community.
The Council must enact enforcement measures including the deployment of an international protection force to save the besieged population in Gaza.
Ishaq Dar reaffirmed that Palestine is a priority for Pakistan. As a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Pakistan will continue to work with the OIC and Arab partners to mobilize global support for the Palestinian right to self-determination, justice and peace.
Ishaq Dar also declared Israeli Prime Minister’s statement for creation of a so-called ‘Greater Israel’ as a direct threat to regional and international peace and security. He said the root cause of this ongoing tragedy is Israel’s prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. As long as this occupation endures, peace will remain elusive.
He said Pakistan fully stands by its brotherly Arab states in safeguarding their sovereignty against threats to their independence and territorial integrity.
The deputy prime minister said Pakistan welcomes the growing international momentum in support of the Palestinian statehood and full membership of the UN.