Istanbul (Web Desk): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar on Saturday called for total withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories.
Addressing the Extraordinary Meeting of the D-8 Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul today, he demanded the restitution of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right of return to Palestine, and the establishment of an independent homeland for the Palestinians with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
FM Dar urged the international community to act to get stopped the aggravating situation in Gaza.
“International Court of Justice's order directing Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Gaza must be implemented,” he said.
Dar said that Pakistan has consistently supported a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the occupied Palestinian territories based on international law and relevant United Nations (UN) resolutions.
He said Pakistan believes that there can be no lasting peace in the Middle East without a comprehensive resolution of all outstanding Arab-Israeli disputes.
“The establishment of a sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian state is an absolutely prerequisite for regional peace and stability,” FM Dar said.
He said that silence and inaction in the face of outrageous killings, mistreatment and relocation of the Palestinians is not an option.
“We must stand up for our brothers and sisters in Palestine and present a united front to stop Israel’s inhumane and barbaric brutalities,” FM Dar said.
He said that this timely gathering of foreign ministers of eight important Muslim countries must send a strong message of support to the Palestinian people.
“It must also lead the call and campaign for concerted and immediate international action to halt Israeli aggression and open all channels of humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of Gaza,” FM Dar asserted.