ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemned the Israeli Occupation forces for their actions in Gaza, labeling the collective punishment of the entire Palestinian population as “unacceptable” and categorizing it as both “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The General Assembly’s Sixth Committee heard a statement from Rabia Ijaz, a second secretary at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, regarding the ongoing major crimes against humanity in Palestine, Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and other regions facing oppression and violence. Ms. Ijaz emphasized the urgent need for a universal instrument to prevent and punish such crimes, especially in the context of recent conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
She expressed Pakistan’s deep concern about the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to indiscriminate aerial bombings, including attacks on civilian and protected UN facilities. Furthermore, she strongly condemned the inhumane blockade of essential supplies by Israeli Occupation forces, which amounts to collective punishment of the entire Palestinian population in Gaza.
Ms. Ijaz attributed the current cycle of aggression and violence to over seven decades of illegal Israeli occupation, aggression, and disregard for international law, including UNSC resolutions recognizing the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
She called for international collaboration to achieve a just, comprehensive, and lasting two-state solution, with a viable, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders and with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, stating that peace in the Middle East hinges on this resolution.
In her address, Ms. Ijaz stressed the importance of global cooperation to ensure accountability for wrongdoers and deliver justice to victims. While she acknowledged the International Law Commission’s draft articles as a valuable starting point, she noted that further discussions during the April resumed session revealed the need to address some differences in viewpoints regarding their content.
