Pakistan's Stance on Palestine: A Call for Decisive International Action

Strategic Insights -

The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) convened a special roundtable discussion on the Palestinian question and its implications for regional stability and Pakistan's foreign policy. The session brought together senior officials, ambassadors, and experts who examined the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the historical and political dimensions of the Palestinian struggle, and its impact on regional stability. The discussion highlighted Pakistan's longstanding position in support of a two-state solution and Palestinian self-determination, as well as the need for decisive international action to stop Israeli aggression and bring peace to the region.

Key Takeaways:

  • More than 64,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza, and 80 percent of buildings have been demolished despite UN resolutions, ICJ and ICC rulings, and widespread global condemnation.
  • The conflict in Palestine is rooted in dispossession, not religion, and has historically been a land for Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike.
  • The human cost of occupation is massive, with mass displacement, systematic destruction of villages, and continuing settlement expansion.
  • The international community should take practical steps, including putting sanctions on Israel, to stop Israeli aggression and bring peace to the region.
  • The two-state solution has been rendered impossible by U.S. and Israeli policies, and Israel has forfeited its legitimacy by threatening the existence of the indigenous people of the land.
  • Sustained advocacy, solidarity, and practical measures will be vital to ensuring that justice and peace ultimately prevail in Palestine.

Statistics:

  • 64,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza (President of IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem)
  • 2/3 of those killed are women and children (President of IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem)
  • 80% of buildings demolished in Gaza (President of IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem)
  • Mass displacement, systematic destruction of villages, and continuing settlement expansion (Ambassador Zohair Zaid)
  • Israel has forfeited its legitimacy by threatening the existence of the indigenous people of the land (Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi)

Sources:

  • The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS)
  • Ambassador Zohair Mohammad Hamdallah Zaid, Ambassador of Palestine to Pakistan
  • Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi
  • President of IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem
  • UN resolutions
  • ICJ and ICC rulings