News Desk
UNITED NATION: Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has urged the UN Security Council to take immediate action over the rapidly deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, warning that Israel’s actions were undermining the prospects of a Palestinian state.
Addressing an emergency Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Ahmad said Israel’s illegal measures were aimed at consolidating its occupation and damaging the possibility of Palestinian statehood.
He said the expansion of Israeli settlements had reached an alarming level, particularly in areas including E-1, and amounted to an attempt to divide Palestinian territory. Pakistan also warned that the West Bank was witnessing its largest displacement crisis since 1967.
Ahmad called for an immediate end to settler violence and said those responsible must be held accountable. He said the illegal expansion of Israeli powers over land registration, administration and law enforcement was effectively strengthening the process of annexation.
Pakistan also called for the immediate and full release of Palestinian tax revenues, stressing that the funds belonged to the Palestinian people. Ahmad said Pakistan was deeply concerned by provocative actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif and urged Israel to respect the historical and legal status quo of the holy sites.
He said the continuing occupation, evictions and forced displacement amounted to clear violations of international law. Pakistan also warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remained extremely fragile and said no opportunity to reduce human suffering should be missed.
