Terming the holding of the upcoming International Conference on Palestine as timely and essential, Pakistan has urged the world community to come up with a robust response, given the continued suffering of the Palestinian people, the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and the systematic erosion of the objective of a two-State solution through illegal settlements and unilateral measures by Israel.
Delivering a national statement at the preparatory meeting convened by France and Saudi Arabia ahead of the International Conference in June, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, reaffirmed Pakistan’s active engagement in the June Conference. He said that we will submit our inputs and proposals to the respective Working Groups and will continue to contribute meaningfully to help shape action-oriented deliverables.
Ambassador Asim said that in the lead-up to the Conference next month, it is imperative to restore and fully implement a ceasefire in Gaza, lift the blockade, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, including through UNRWA, and protect civilians and aid workers.
He demanded that any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians, annex territory, or impose militarized aid mechanisms must be firmly rejected.
In order to preserve the viability of Palestinian statehood, he recommended the following steps, among others:
He said that the Conference must establish a mechanism to monitor and promote the enforcement of relevant Security Council resolutions, including 242, 446, and 2334, which term settlements illegal. He suggested that this should be coupled with diplomatic efforts to secure Palestine’s admission as a full UN Member State.
The Pakistan UN Ambassador called for operationalizing the Gaza Reconstruction Plan endorsed by the OIC and Arab Group. He said that projects such as a Gaza–West Bank transit corridor, seaport reconstruction, and industrial zones are vital for territorial contiguity and Palestinian unity.
He said that the Conference must address the root cause, such as Israel’s prolonged occupation, adding that it is only by ending the occupation, we can secure a just and lasting peace.
He expressed Pakistan’s readiness to support the Conference and contribute to a credible political horizon, for a two-state solution; one that upholds Palestinian rights, ends occupation, and delivers durable peace through a viable, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.