New York (Web Desk): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the international community to grant Palestine full membership in the United Nations, call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, ensure the unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid, and put an end to the ongoing crimes against humanity in the blockaded territory.
Speaking at a high-level global conference convened under the title "International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, DPM Dar highlighted the severe impact of the blockade and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. He condemned attacks on refugee camps, hospitals, and aid convoys, stating that such actions have violated fundamental principles of law and humanity.
He welcomed recent initiatives by European nations supporting Palestinian statehood, particularly praising France’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state. He encouraged other countries yet to do so to join this growing international movement, emphasizing the urgent need for Palestine’s global recognition and full inclusion in the United Nations.
The deputy prime minister described Gaza as a "graveyard of international law and humanitarian norms," pointing to the tragic loss of more than 58,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, as a blatant violation of humanitarian law, UN resolutions, and rulings from the International Court of Justice.
Reiterating Pakistan’s dedication to a just and lasting resolution, Dar expressed his country’s readiness to go beyond rhetoric by offering meaningful support to Palestine’s institutional and human development.
He pledged technical assistance and capacity-building aid in vital sectors such as healthcare, education, public administration, and service delivery, coordinated in partnership with Palestinian leadership. Pakistan also stands prepared to participate in the Arab-OIC Plan and any international mechanisms for Palestinian protection.
DPM Dar stressed that "justice delayed is justice denied," warning that decades of injustice have far-reaching consequences that affect not only Palestine but the wider region and beyond. He urged an immediate end to the occupation and stressed the importance of providing hope to the Palestinian people, calling for freedom, self-determination, and the full UN membership of Palestine as the best pathway to long-term peace in the region.
The conference was initially scheduled for June 2025 following a UN General Assembly resolution last year but was postponed due to an Israeli attack on Iran.
At the event’s opening, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a sobering message, underscoring the unbearable scale of devastation in Gaza and stating emphatically that there is no justification for obliterating Gaza. He described the conference as a potentially pivotal moment capable of advancing meaningful progress toward ending the occupation and realizing the shared vision of a viable two-state solution.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and warned that the current conflict jeopardizes peace and stability across the region. He stressed that political dialogue remains the only viable path forward, asserting there is no alternative plan to the two-state solution that can address the legitimate aspirations of both Palestinians and Israelis.
Notably absent from the conference were the US and Israel. A spokesperson from the US State Department, Tammy Bruce, criticized the timing of the conference, describing it as unhelpful and suggesting it could complicate efforts to achieve peace.