ISLAMABAD: A day after the caretaker prime minister called for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, President Dr Arif Alvi urged the international community to play an active role in peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestine dispute in accordance with the United Nations resolutions and international law.

In a post on X, President Alvi said progress towards peace could not materialise without condemnation of usurpation and brutalisation of Palestinian rights by Israel. “Continuous annexation of land, illegal settlements, disproportionate reactions and killings. The result is no hope and no progress towards peace,” he wrote.

Time had come to move forward in line with UN resolutions, the president said. “International community can play a big role today towards world peace,” he added.

Also on Sunday, caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan was “deeply concerned” with the escalating hostilities in the Middle East and the loss of innocent lives while calling on Israel to immediately cease its oppression in occupied territories. “We stand in solidarity with Palestinians and call for an immediate end to the violence and oppression by Israeli occupation forces,” he tweeted.

FM, political parties throw their weight behind Palestinians’ right to statehood

FM Jilani demanded the creation of a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders in line with the UN resolutions. “The international community needs to intervene to bring an end to the conflict, protect civilians, and work toward a lasting peace in the Middle East,” he added.

PTI, PPP endorse govt call

Expressing concern over the escalating tension in the Middle East, major political parties in Pakistan sought international community’s intervention for a lasting peace.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) called upon the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to realise the gravity of the situation and immediately hammer out a meaningful and result-oriented strategy to find out lasting and perpetual solution to the Palestinian issue, insisting that enduring peace in the region lies “only in a two-state solution”.

Also, PTI spokesperson demanded that the international community protect the basic and fundamental rights of Palestinians and make the oppressor and illegitimate state of Israel bound by international law and ethics.

He emphasised that Ummah, particularly the key members of OIC, should take special measures on a war footing to ensure a permanent and durable solution to the Palestine conflict. People of Palestine have full right to get their own land and independent state, he said, adding that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital was “inevitable for the regional security and stability”.

He recalled that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had consistently maintained his stance that oppression, occupation, and peace cannot go hand in hand.

The PTI spokesperson underlined that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and its policy of expansion through use of force, inhuman coercion and fascism was the basis of the conflict, as the aggressor Israel had the worst record in terms of noncompliance of international agreements and human rights violations. Therefore, he added, it was high time that the UN and OIC realise the gravity of the situation and craft a comprehensive and meaningful strategy to resolve the Palestinian issue.

PTI spokesperson reiterated that PTI would provide full political, diplomatic and moral support to the people of Palestine until a two-state solution of the issue.

Also, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed profound concern over the escalating situation between Israel and Palestine and sought the international community’s intervention for durable peace in the Middle East. “I’m deeply concerned at the serious escalation of hostilities between Israeli occupation forces and Palestinians. Pakistan stands for a two-state solution, in line with international law and UN/OIC resolutions. Stance we have consistently advocated including during my term as Chair of CFM of OIC,” the former foreign minister tweeted.

A day earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif stated in a post on X, “Ending Israel’s illegal occupation, settlement expansion on Palestinian land, and oppression against innocent Palestinians are key for peace, justice, and prosperity in the region.

“I am not surprised by today’s events. What else can one expect when Israel continues to deny Palestinians their legitimate right to self-determination and statehood? What else, after daily provocations, attacks by occupation forces and settlers, and raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites of Christianity and Islam?” he questioned.

He said the world must recognise that durable peace required ending occupation of Palestinian land, recognising the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, and upholding Palestinians’ right to independence and sovereignty.

JI offers support to Palestinians

The Jamaat-i-Islami declared its support for the resistance fighters of Palestine against Israel and felicitated them for the actions.

In a statement, the party said that Ummah “saluted” the Palestinians for their struggle to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque, adding that the Muslim world supported them in this difficult time.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2023