House strongly condemns Israel’s expansion of settlements and the displacement of Palestinians
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning and rejecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks about a plan to ally with India and other countries to fight Muslim states.
The resolution expressed concern over what it described as provocative narratives that threaten the unity of the Muslim ummah.
The resolution was passed in response to comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during a cabinet meeting on Sunday ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tel Aviv, who said Israel “will create a whole system – essentially a kind of hexagon of alliances – around or within the Middle East”.
Modi will arrive on Wednesday and address the Knesset, or Israeli parliament. Netanyahu listed India, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration and unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries as members of the proposed alliance.
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The aim is “to create an axis of countries that see the reality, the challenges and the goals in the same way, as opposed to the radical axes”, he said. “Both the radical Shia axis, which we have hit very hard, and also the new axis – the radical Sunni axis.”
The resolution in Parliament today, moved by Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan on behalf of all political parties, condemned Israel’s policies and actions, particularly its disregard for international law, the United Nations (UN) Charter and key UN resolutions.
The Senate strongly criticized any attempt to change the legal or historical status of occupied Palestinian territories, including holy sites, and condemned Israel’s settlement expansion and displacement of Palestinians.
“The Senate takes strong exception to statements that undermine regional stability and international legal norms,” the resolution said.
Parliament also rejected Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland’s independence, deeming it incompatible with international principles, and reaffirmed its support for Palestinian self-determination.
In December, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, prompting strong condemnation from Muslim nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Read more: Pakistan has not recognized Israel
The resolution called for an immediate and complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and stressed the importance of increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, especially in Gaza. It further called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for actions that violate international humanitarian and human rights laws.
The Senate reiterated its unwavering support for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The resolution also called for efforts for the early recovery and reconstruction of Palestine.
Last week, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said it “would be fine” if Israel took control of territory described in a biblical passage as stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates, remarks he made during a television interview that drew widespread attention after excerpts circulated online.
Huckabee made the comments during an appearance on The Tucker Carlson Showhosted by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. The discussion centered on religious texts, Israel’s modern borders and the relationship between theology and geopolitics.
Carlson said the description would include much of what is now the Middle East, and asked Huckabee if Israel therefore had a right to that land.
“So God gave that land — basically the whole Middle East,” Carlson said, asking Huckabee if Israel therefore had a right to that area.
“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee replied.
Following the statement, Pakistan and 13 other countries strongly condemned the remarks.
In a joint statement, foreign ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, expressed “deep concern”.
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The ministers said Huckabee’s remarks ran counter to “the vision set forth by US President Donald Trump as well as the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict”, which they said was aimed at limiting escalation and creating a political path towards a settlement that secures an independent state for the Palestinians.
