Pakistan urges reversal of Israeli measures in Occupied Palestinian Territories

As an elected member of the UN Security Council, Pakistan has called for the immediate reversal of all Israeli measures aimed at the de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank.

Addressing the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the Palestinian cause. He pledged continued support for the cause at all UN bodies, the OIC and other multilateral platforms.

“We must collectively ensure full respect for and protection of the historical and legal status quo at all holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Dar said, calling for an immediate end to all forms of displacement, demographic manipulation and collective punishment of Palestinians throughout the occupied territories.

Dar also stressed the need for the full and faithful implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which includes strict adherence to the ceasefire in Gaza, and the immediate commencement of Gaza’s reconstruction and recovery with full Palestinian ownership and central involvement of the Palestinian Authority.

“A credible, irreversible and time-bound political horizon must be established leading to the creation of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital in accordance with relevant UN and OIC resolutions,” the foreign minister added.

Clarifying Pakistan’s position, Dar noted that Pakistan, as part of the Group of Eight Arab-Islamic countries, joined the Board of Peace (BoP), as authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, to achieve these goals.

Pakistan also reiterated its strong condemnation of the recent inflammatory remarks made by the US ambassador to Israel, suggesting that it would be acceptable for Israel to control territories belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank.

Dar termed such remarks as irresponsible, deeply worrying and reprehensible. He further noted that these statements were contrary to international law and the UN Charter, which undermined the sovereignty of Arab states and could encourage Israel’s illegal actions.

The Deputy Prime Minister drew a parallel between the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), noting the stark similarities. He highlighted that Indian occupation forces continue to unleash terror in IIOJK with systematic human rights violations and demographic manipulation aimed at turning Kashmiris into a minority in their own country.

“We appreciate the strong, unwavering support that the OIC has always extended to our Kashmiri brothers and sisters. However, we urge the OIC to step up efforts for a just settlement of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute,” Dar concluded.

Earlier, on his arrival in Jeddah, the DPM was received by the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs, Samir Bakr, along with Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the OIC.