ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, has called for an immediate halt to arms deliveries to Israel and the revision of its membership in the United Nations, state-run media reported on Sunday.
Speaking at the Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting during the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh, Dar condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza and urged the international community to take decisive action to end what he referred to as the “genocide in Gaza.”
He said that the international community cannot remain silent in the face of this ongoing genocide. “It is time for global powers to take a stand and stop the supply of weapons that are fuelling Israel’s war on Gaza.”
He also congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership for initiating the inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of a Two-State Solution last month.
Dar maintained that the creation of the alliance is a meaningful step that will lay the framework and advance an irreversible path toward the independence of the State of Palestine, as well as realise the two-state solution with a clear timeline under international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.
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He called on the United Nations and its member states to intervene urgently to bring an end to the violence and ensure accountability for Israel’s actions.
Israel’s continued violations of international law and its systematic attacks on Palestinian civilians, including the killing of women and children, are in direct violation of the United Nations’ fundamental principles, Dar said. It is high time that Israel’s membership of the UN be reviewed.
He suggested that a joint Arab-Islamic special envoy should be nominated in the Middle East as a focal point to coordinate progress on the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the joint Arab-Islamic summits.
Dar reiterated that Pakistan has always been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause. “Pakistan will actively contribute to the different working groups of the Global Alliance.”
Since October last year, Pakistan has sent 12 consignments comprising humanitarian assistance for its Palestinian brethren. Pakistan has offered additional scholarships to Palestinian students at various Pakistani educational institutions.
Pakistan has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Palestinian territories and has consistently called for the international community to hold Israel accountable for what it terms the “illegal occupation” of Palestinian territories.
Is it pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Saudi Arabia later today to attend the 2nd Joint Arab-Islamic Follow-Up Summit in the Kingdom on November 11.
