Islamabad (Web Desk): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the Palestine issue holds a central place in the collective consciousness of the Muslim Ummah, while violations of the ceasefire in Gaza continue.
Addressing the OIC Palestine Committee, Ishaq Dar said the six-member committee has the responsibility to mobilize political and diplomatic support for the Palestinian people, while the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza requires immediate attention.
He appreciated the diplomatic efforts by the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye to end the Gaza conflict and strongly condemned Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque. He said Pakistan supports the full implementation of the Gaza peace plan and United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The deputy prime minister said the reconstruction of Gaza and its governance arrangements should remain under Palestinian leadership, while accountability for violations of international and humanitarian law is essential. He said a credible political process is indispensable for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to Ishaq Dar, recent diplomatic efforts have created an opportunity to advance the political process; however, the humanitarian situation remains alarming and the security environment unstable.
He said illegal Israeli settlements, settler violence and annexation policies in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, pose threats to the geographical integrity of the occupied Palestinian territories and are undermining prospects for the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
Ishaq Dar condemned repeated incursions by Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying such actions violate international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the historical and legal status of the holy sites.
Ishaq Dar stressed that the OIC should continue playing its role in advancing global efforts so that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state can be achieved through a credible political process.