NEW YORK: Pakistan has urged the international community to confront the “war crimes” occurring in Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K), stressing the importance of eliminating impunity and ensuring justice for the victims of these conflicts.
Addressing the General Assembly’s Sixth (legal) Committee, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, spoke on the dire human rights violations characterizing these regions.
In his discourse during a debate on Crimes against Humanity, Ambassador Jadoon expressed deep concern over the ongoing occupation, oppression, and violence, particularly marking the one-year anniversary of what he described as a “genocidal war” by Israel against Palestinians.
He detailed the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by over seven decades of occupation and international law violations, including disregard for UN resolutions that uphold the Palestinian right to self-determination.
Ambassador Jadoon condemned the actions of Israeli forces in Gaza as war crimes and crimes against humanity, potentially amounting to genocide as indicated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He referenced a recent General Assembly resolution endorsing the ICJ’s advisory opinion, which demands that Israel immediately withdraw from occupied Palestinian territories, cease its unlawful activities, compensate for damages, and respect the Palestinians’ self-determination rights.
Further discussing the implications of international law, Ambassador Jadoon highlighted the need for precise definitions in the draft articles on preventing and punishing crimes against humanity. He cautioned against introducing new definitions that might cause ambiguity and inconsistency, urging adherence to existing definitions in United Nations conventions on enslavement, torture, and enforced disappearance.
Throughout his address, Ambassador Jadoon called for global cooperation to eliminate impunity and ensure accountability and justice for victims of grave injustices in both Palestine and Kashmir.
