Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said with the changing world public opinion, he was hopeful that Israel would soon fall under pressure of the global powers to grant equal rights to the oppressed Palestinian people.
“I am seeing a welcoming change. What is that? The world public opinion is changing… This is for the first time that the voices raised from there (West). Their newspapers criticized it. Their media spoke against it. And politicians also stood against it which I never thought would happen in the United States and Western states,” the prime minister said in his televised message to the nation on Palestine situation.
He said having spent plenty of time in the West, he never saw their newspapers, media and politicians criticizing Israel as the country had already been attacking Palestinians. Rather they all used to portray Israel as a victim, he added. Imran Khan said the social media was the major reason behind that change of world public opinion, which disseminated all the information which the mainstream media censored.
As the country observed Palestine Solidarity Day on Friday, the prime minister paid gratitude to the countrymen, who took to streets in huge number to support the Palestinians and condemn the Israeli aggression.
Imran Khan said since the creation of Israel, Pakistan remained stick to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s stance that it was an injustice to the Palestinian people and supported them at every forum. Referring to the recent wave of Israeli aggression, the prime minister said he was at Holy Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Mosque (Masjid-e-Nabvi) in Madina Munawara when the Israeli forces attacked worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the holy night of 27th Ramazan. Moreover, the Palestinian families were also evicted from their homes and the attack by the “world’s most powerful army” also left the Palestinian children killed, he added.
Imran Khan said while being in Saudi Arabia, he met the Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and called for the OIC’s stand as well as taking the matter to the United Nations.
Later, he said he also talked to Saudi King Salman, received calls from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who called for taking the matter to the world body. During telephonic conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the prime minister said, he had assured him of all-out support from Pakistan. The Muslim as well as other right minded world stood by them (Palestinians), he added. He said he assigned Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to raise the issue at the United Nations as well as with the OIC and other Muslim world leaders, who did it effectively which was laudable. He said some 30 years ago, the world public opinion was changed when there had been racial bias against the Africans in South Africa with major powers also supporting the then South African government. But, he said, when the world public opinion changed, the same powers compelled the South African regime to grant equal rights to the Africans and Asians. “I am seeing the similar beginning. The world public opinion is changing. Insha Allah the world public opinion will force the big powers, who have so far been supporting Israel, to exert pressure for Palestinians’ equal rights. Insha Allah, the day will come when the Palestinian people will get their country, a just settlement, and will live as equal citizens as the Israelis do. We pray the day comes soon,” he said.
Sohail Ali Khan
Islamabad
Palestine message
