ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has arrived in New York to attend an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on Palestine, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday. 
Since the crisis began on May 10, Palestinian health officials say 228 people have been killed in Israeli aerial bombardments that have worsened Gaza’s already dire humanitarian situation. Israeli authorities put the death toll to date at 12 in Israel.
Upon Qureshi’s arrival in New York, a dinner was hosted at the Pakistan Embassy, where the foreign ministers of Turkey, Tunis and Palestine, the President of the UN General Assembly and Permanent Representatives of OIC member countries were also present. 
Speaking at the banquet, the Pakistani foreign minister “highlighted atrocities being committed by Israeli forces, the miseries of Palestinian people and threats to regional peace, and diplomatic efforts made by Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said. 
“Qureshi also held detailed consultation with the participating foreign minister on adopting joint strategy to draw world community’s attention toward the grave human rights violations.”

Proud to join @MevlutCavusoglu as we stand united, shoulder to shoulder, with our brother FM Dr Riyad Al Maliki from Palestine. Together, we will stand for the people of #Palestine at #UNGA75#TogetherForPalestine pic.twitter.com/yXc7a2H7Oo

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) May 19, 2021

A day earlier, as a part of an ongoing Mideast diplomatic onslaught, Qureshi met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr. Riaz Al-Maliki in Turkey and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to the Palestinian cause before leaving for New York.
Qureshi had arrived in Turkey on Tuesday where he met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and exchanged views on the “worsening situation” in the Palestinian territories. 
On Wednesday, Qureshi met the Palestinian foreign minister and briefed him on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts “to draw the attention of the international community to the ongoing Israeli military aggression in Palestine and to find a peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue.”
“The Foreign Minister strongly condemned the Israeli military aggression, the attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the forced eviction of Palestinians, and expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of innocent Palestinians, especially children,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement. 
Al-Maliki appreciated Pakistan’s “clear, unequivocal and principled position on the Palestinian issue and thanked Pakistan’s leadership and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi for Pakistan’s diplomatic assistance at the regional and international levels.” 
In an interview with Turkish media on May 18, Qureshi said his country was banking on the UN General Assembly to play its role to develop a consensus that led to a cease-fire and end to “atrocities” in Palestine. 
“So my idea is to go [UNGA) and share that truth of the world to reflect the sentiments of the people of Pakistan. I will be carrying the unanimous resolution of the National Assembly, it was unanimously passed,” Qureshi said, referring to Pakistan’s lower house of parliament passing a unanimous resolution against the ‘unconscionable brutality’ of Israel this Monday. 
For the past week Washington, a strong ally of Israel, has been isolated in the 15-member council over its objection to a public statement by the Security Council on the worst violence between Israel and the Palestinians in years.
“Unfortunately, the Security Council could not reach a consensus,” Qureshi told the Turkish news agency. “Unfortunately, the joint statement could not come out because it was vetoed. So we’re banking on the General Assembly to play its role to evolve a consensus that leads to a cease-fire, de-escalation and an end to atrocities.” 
Qureshi said Pakistan had played an active and consistent role on the Palestine issue, and “we expect to play a role in keeping the [Muslim] umma [community] reunited. That’s very important. That message of unity will strengthen and encourage the spirits and raise the morale of the beleaguered Palestinians.” 
When asked who all would attended the UNGA meeting he said: “Some foreign ministers won’t be there physically, some will be there virtually, but it’s going to be a hybrid kind of a meeting, but I expect quite a few foreign ministers will show up.” 
In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, said it was “most regrettable that the SC [UN Security Council] has remained paralyzed in this crisis.” 
“The world expects that at the very least the council will call for an immediate halt to the hostilities & prevent the killing of more innocent children, women & men,” his tweet read. 

"It is most regrettable that the SC has remained paralyzed in this crisis.The world expects that at the very least the council will call for an immediate halt to the hostilities & prevent the killing of more innocent children,women&men."Amb MunirAkram @CNN https://t.co/846pAE1eTm

— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) May 19, 2021