Pakistan urges UNSC to hold Israel accountable for war crimes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council to initiate steps to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity and to implement relevant UN resolutions to resolve the Palestine issue.
During his weekly news briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that Kashmir and Palestine issues are the longest disputes on the UN Security Council’s agenda. He said that Pakistan continues to condemn Israel’s deliberate and systematic assault against the people of Palestine, its violation of the sanctity of the holy places, particularly the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He also criticised Israel’s continued policy of expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, enforced evictions of Palestinians and demolishing of their houses as well as targeting of journalists and international media outlets.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan deplores Israel’s indiscriminate and disproportionate force, including aerial bombing, as well as destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Regarding Pakistan’s Palestine policy, he said, “We have always been at the forefront of the countries supporting the just cause of the Palestinian people.” He said that Pakistan has sponsored, co-sponsored or supported every resolution on Palestine at all international fora, including the United Nations and the OIC.
He also said that Pakistan co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Resolution, upgrading Palestine to a non-member observer state of the UN in 2012.
Responding to another question, Chaudhri said that Pakistan is not shied away of talks with India, but it should be meaningful and result-oriented to resolve the outstanding issues of which Kashmir is the core dispute.
It is pertinent to mention here that the nation will observe “Palestine Solidarity Day” on Friday to denounce Israeli systematic and barbaric attacks against innocent Palestinians.
Rallies and demonstrations will be taken out across the country keeping in view Covid-19 SOPs to convey the message that the entire Pakistani nation stands by their oppressed Palestinian brothers and sisters. The world community through these rallies will be reminded of its obligations to stop Israeli persecution of Palestinians and play its part for the establishment of an independent Palestine state with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital for permanent peace in the Middle East.
Pakistan has always supported the Palestinian cause. In the wake of recent flagrant acts of violence in occupied Palestinian territories, the country has been at the forefront to mobilise international efforts to stop Israeli persecution of Palestinians. There is also strong resentment within the public over the terrorism unleashed by the Jewish state against the Palestinians.