ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reiterated Pakistan’s complete support for an independent Palestinian state, saying it was the only “avenue toward peace” in the Middle East.
Sharif said this while addressing an extraordinary Arab–Islamic summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, to discuss Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Israel has waged a war in Gaza since October last year, killing over 43,000 people and rendering the strip almost uninhabitable. Last month, it also invaded Lebanon and has since killed 3,000 people there.
Sharif said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza had reached a level beyond imagination, criticizing the international community for its silence on Israel’s continued bombing of Gaza and Lebanon.
“Pakistan stands firm in its commitment to Palestine’s right to self-determination. We reiterate our unwavering support to establish an independent, viable and contiguous state of Palestine... This is the only avenue toward peace and justice in the holy land,” he said.
“We equally denounce Israel’s ongoing military aggression against Lebanon and stand in complete solidarity with its innocent people. Such escalations constitute a dangerous threat that could unleash a broader war.”
The Pakistan prime minister criticized the world for its “indifference and inaction” on the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, saying they had emboldened Israel.
“With each passing day every moral code has been blatantly violated by Israel yet the killing and destruction continues with no end in sight,” he said.
“The international humanitarian laws meant to protect the vulnerable have been torn to shreds... Humanity is being tested and failing. While Gaza bleeds, the world watches in silence.”
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon, Islamabad has dispatched more than 1,300 tons of relief goods for Gaza and Lebanon, besides establishing the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon’ that aims to collect public donations for the war-affected people.
Sharif said Muslim countries were bound “by faith and our conscience” to stand with the people of Palestine and not let this “systematic genocide” persist, urging the summit to call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, arms embargo on Israel, lifting of Israel’s blockade of Gaza, ensuring prompt delivery of food, water, electricity and medical aid, accountability of Israel for its “war crimes,” and a comprehensive review of Israel’s membership of the United Nations (UN).
“Let this summit be a moment of transforming our voices into actions,” he said. “Together we must move beyond condemnation and act swiftly to uphold justice and dignity for the people of Palestine and all those who face oppression.”
Monday’s summit was a follow-up to the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit held in November 2023 in Riyadh.
In his opening statement at the summit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman again renewed Saudi Arabia’s rejection of Israeli attacks in Gaza and violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty. He criticized the obstruction of humanitarian agencies’ work in Gaza and rejected diminishing the role of the Palestinian Authority.
Israel had formally notified the UN of its decision to sever ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees after Israeli lawmakers backed the move last week.
The international community must “immediately halt the Israeli actions against our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon,” the crown prince said, condemning Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “genocide.”
“We condemn the Israeli military operations that targeted Lebanese territories and we reject anything that threatens Lebanon’s stability and safety as well as anything that violates its territorial integrity.”
He also condemned attacks on Iranian territory.