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Pakistani foreign relations

Pakistan's Diplomatic Stance on Israel's Strikes: Moral Clarity and Limited Leverage

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, recently dismissed Israel's attempts to disguise aggression as self-defense, calling Israel an occupier trampling international law and shielded by impunity. This stance, alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's decision to co-sponsor the Arab-Islamic summit and fly to Doha, demonstrated Pakistan's commitment to standing alongside Qatar in the face of Israel's aggression. However, beneath the words of solidarity lies a sobering truth: Pakistan has no real leverage over Israel, with no ties to suspend and no economic clout to wield. This limitation is not unique to Pakistan, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has long struggled to translate outrage into collective action.

Key Takeaways:

  • Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, criticized Israel's attempts to justify its aggression as self-defense, calling it an occupier trampling international law and shielded by impunity.
  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif co-sponsored the Arab-Islamic summit and flew to Doha to stand alongside Qatar in the face of Israel's aggression, demonstrating Pakistan's commitment to solidarity.
  • Pakistan, like many Muslim countries, has limited leverage over Israel, with no ties to suspend and no economic clout to wield.
  • The OIC has struggled to translate outrage into collective action, issuing strong communiques without imposing political consequences or sanctions.
  • Israeli air strikes on UN schools in Gaza City killed at least 31 people, many of them children, highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
  • Economic pressure, diplomatic downgrades, and coordinated moves at multilateral forums are required to hold Israel accountable for its actions.
  • Pakistan's voice at the UN and in Doha shows that it stands with the oppressed, but the Muslim world needs to risk more than speeches if it wants to make a meaningful difference.

Statistics:

  • 31 people, many of them children, were killed in Israeli air strikes on two UN schools in Gaza City.
  • The strikes targeted overcrowded makeshift shelters, often UNRWA-run, which are being destroyed with devastating regularity.
  • Gaza is on the brink of catastrophe, with lives shattered by bombardment, starvation, and the collapse of what little shelter remained.
  • The OIC has issued multiple communiques condemning Israeli actions, but no collective sanctions have been imposed.

Sources:

  • Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad.
  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
  • The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
  • Reuters, "Israel says it has killed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza", 18 August 2023.
  • Al Jazeera, "Gaza: Israeli airstrikes kill 31, including children", 18 August 2023.

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