Egyptian, Pakistani Foreign Ministers discuss Gaza crisis
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, spoke by telephone on Sunday to discuss the situation in Gaza, including the critical humanitarian conditions affecting millions of Palestinian residents.
During the conversation, the Deputy Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan's support for the Palestinian people and expressed solidarity with Egypt. He also conveyed Pakistan's support for convening an Extraordinary Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers to deliberate on the issue. Both ministers agreed to maintain close contact on developments.
The conversation followed Pakistan's condemnation on Saturday of remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who suggested the Palestinian people should establish a state in Saudi Arabia.
In a press statement, Senator Dar described the Israeli remark as 'irresponsible, provocative and thoughtless.'
'The remark is not only deeply offensive but also undermines and disregards the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent State on their own historical and legitimate territory,' he said.
Senator Dar affirmed Pakistan's solidarity with Saudi Arabia and praised its 'steadfast support for the Palestinian people and their just cause.'
'Any attempt to undermine Saudi Arabia's unwavering position and misrepresentation of its commitment to the Palestinian cause is deeply regrettable,' he said.
Senator Dar further stated Pakistan's firm belief that the Palestinian people have an inalienable right to establish an independent and sovereign state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
He added that 'any proposal that seeks to displace or relocate the Palestinian people from their ancestral homeland is unacceptable and constitutes a blatant violation of international law, United Nations resolutions and the principles of justice and fairness.'
'The Government of Pakistan reiterates its unflinching support for the Palestinian cause and will continue to work closely with Saudi Arabia and other members of the international community to advocate for the rights of the Palestinian people and to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian Issue,' Senator Dar said.
Pakistan is urging the international community to denounce the remarks and hold Israel accountable for attempts to undermine the peace process.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UPDATED: Madleen sailing through Egyptian waters on way to break Israeli siege on Gaza - War on Gaza
An aid ship with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, is sailing through Egyptian waters and is nearing the besieged Palestinian territory, organisers said on Saturday. The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last week with a cargo of relief supplies "to break Israel's blockade on Gaza". "We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast," German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. "We are all good," she added. In a statement from London on Saturday, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza -- a member organisation of the flotilla coalition -- said the ship had entered Egyptian waters. The group said it remains in contact with international legal and human rights bodies to ensure the safety of those on board, warning that any interception would constitute "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law". European parliament member Rima Hassan, who is on board the vessel, urged governments to "guarantee safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla." The Palestinian territory has been under an Israeli naval blockade since 2007, long before the outbreak of Israel's devastating war on Gaza in October 2023. The blockade, coupled with repeated military incursions over the years, has devastated Gaza's infrastructure and economy, exacerbating poverty and limiting access to basic services like healthcare and clean water. In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 civilians during a raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, part of a similar aid flotilla attempting to break the blockade. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, reported coming under drone attack while en route for Gaza, prompting Cyprus and Malta to send rescue vessels in response to its distress call. There were no reports of any casualties. Earlier in its voyage, the Madleen changed course near the Greek island of Crete after receiving a distress signal from a sinking migrant boat. Activists rescued four Sudanese migrants who had jumped into the sea to avoid being returned to Libya. The four were later transferred to an EU Frontex vessel. Launched in 2010, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a coalition of groups opposed to the blockade on humanitarian aid for Gaza that Israel imposed on March 2 and left more than two million Palestinians on the verge of starvation. Israel has faced mounting international condemnation over the resulting humanitarian crisis in the territory, where the United Nations has warned that the entire population of more than two million is at risk of famine. For more information and live updates on the current Freedom Flotilla mission, visit: Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Israeli forces kill six more Palestinians near US-backed 'aid centre' in Gaza - War on Gaza
Israeli forces killed six Palestinians near a US-backed aid centre in southern Gaza on Saturday, as they carried out attacks that left at least 36 dead across the territory, including airstrike victims, the civil defence said. At around 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT), Israeli forces opened fire near the Al-Alam roundabout in southern Gaza's Rafah area, killing six people and wounding several others, according to Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal. Since late May, residents have gathered nearly daily at Al-Alam to receive humanitarian aid from a centre about one kilometre (0.6 miles) away, operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The organization has faced widespread condemnation for prioritizing Israeli military objectives -- including the ongoing displacement and humiliation of Palestinians starved by Israel -- over the efficient and effective delivery of aid. Samir Abu Hadid, who was at the scene early Saturday, told AFP that thousands had assembled near the roundabout. "As soon as some people tried to advance towards the aid centre, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire from armoured vehicles stationed nearby, firing into the air and then at civilians," he said. Saturday's incident marked the latest in a series of fatal shootings by Israeli forces near the Al-Alam aid point. In May, Israel and the US established aid centers to provide limited relief to Gazans through the GHF, amid an ongoing Israeli blockade imposed since 2 March. Despite this, Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on civilians -- including women and children -- attempting to access these humanitarian aid sites. Israeli troops killed 27 people in southern Gaza on Tuesday near one of the centers operated by the GHF, prompting the organization to temporarily suspend operations before resuming the next day. Since the GHF began operations on 26 May, Israeli attacks near its aid distribution sites have killed over 100 Palestinians seeking aid and wounded nearly 500. The United Nations and other aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF -- deeming it a private effort with opaque funding and neutrality issues -- and continue to warn that Gaza's entire population of over two million people is facing famine-level conditions. Israel has recently intensified its genocidal campaign in Gaza in what it claims is a renewed offensive. Since breaking a ceasefire on 18 March, Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,497 Palestinians, raising the overall death toll in Gaza to 54,772 -- the vast majority of them women and children. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Madleen sailing through Egyptian waters on way to break Israeli siege on Gaza - War on Gaza
An aid ship with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, is sailing through Egyptian waters and is nearing the besieged Palestinian territory, organisers said on Saturday. The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last week with a cargo of relief supplies "to break Israel's blockade on Gaza". "We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast," German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. "We are all good," she added. In a statement from London on Saturday, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza -- a member organisation of the flotilla coalition -- said the ship had entered Egyptian waters. The group said it remains in contact with international legal and human rights bodies to ensure the safety of those on board, warning that any interception would constitute "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law". European parliament member Rima Hassan, who is on board the vessel, urged governments to "guarantee safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla." The Palestinian territory has been under an Israeli naval blockade since 2007, long before the outbreak of Israel's devastating war on Gaza in October 2023. The blockade, coupled with repeated military incursions over the years, has devastated Gaza's infrastructure and economy, exacerbating poverty and limiting access to basic services like healthcare and clean water. In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 civilians during a raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, part of a similar aid flotilla attempting to break the blockade. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, reported coming under drone attack while en route for Gaza, prompting Cyprus and Malta to send rescue vessels in response to its distress call. There were no reports of any casualties. Earlier in its voyage, the Madleen changed course near the Greek island of Crete after receiving a distress signal from a sinking migrant boat. Activists rescued four Sudanese migrants who had jumped into the sea to avoid being returned to Libya. The four were later transferred to an EU Frontex vessel. Launched in 2010, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a coalition of groups opposed to the blockade on humanitarian aid for Gaza that Israel imposed on March 2 and left more than two million Palestinians on the verge of starvation. Israel has faced mounting international condemnation over the resulting humanitarian crisis in the territory, where the United Nations has warned that the entire population of more than two million is at risk of famine. For more information and live updates on the current Freedom Flotilla mission, visit: Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
