Ishaq Dar calls for strong measures against Israel's violations
Pakistan
Ishaq Dar said extremist Israeli leaders appear determined to prolong and expand the war.
JEDDAH (Web Desk) - Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday urged action against Israel’s violations, recommending OIC sanctions, more humanitarian aid, and an international protection force and judicial mechanism.
Addressing the Extraordinary Open-Ended Meeting of OIC Executive Committee in Jeddah, he highlighted recent positive developments and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing peace as it joins the UNSC in January 2025.
“While such grave action must be avenged, we must not fulfill Netanyahu’s design for a wider war,” he said.
“Clearly, condemnation alone is not enough to stop and hold Israel accountable. It has not worked in the past and there is no reason to expect a different outcome this time.”
“What we need is unwavering political will, complete unity, and concrete steps to effectively address the situation at hand.
We must initiate further actions to build on these developments including actions by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council in accordance with the ICJ’s opinion.”
He described Israel’s actions as beyond mere adventurism, characterizing them as sheer madness and akin to deliberately igniting a powder keg with unprecedented impunity and brutality. He acknowledged the Islamic Republic of Iran’s and the Palestinian people's resolve to respond to and seek justice for Israel's provocative and criminal acts, as well as its blatant breaches of international law.
Dar emphasized that while such serious actions must be avenged, it is crucial not to play into Netanyahu’s strategy for a broader conflict. He then shared that the Government of Pakistan had observed a day of mourning on August 2, 2024, and that the National Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution condemning the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and the ongoing Israeli atrocities against Palestinians over the past nine months.
He said this action showed solidarity with the people of Iran and Palestine and delivered a firm condemnation of Israeli brutality and warmongering. The harrowing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially Gaza, over the past nine months is widely recognized. The death of 40,000 innocent Palestinians, mostly women and children, at the hands of Israel’s military continues to weigh heavily on the collective conscience.
While the streets of the Occupied Territory are already stained with Palestinian blood, Israel continues its ruthless agenda and unyielding campaign. By employing starvation as a weapon in Gaza, Israel flagrantly disregards humanity, international norms, and the law, deliberately targeting and destroying civilian infrastructure, homes, schools, hospitals, aid convoys, and humanitarian shelters. The naked cruelty of the oppressor is such that even humanitarian supplies and life-saving assistance have been impeded.
Dar noted that the International Court of Justice has referred to the situation as "plausible genocide," yet it is clearly genocide. The repeated calls for a ceasefire from the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, and the ICJ have been consistently ignored by Israeli leadership.
Extremist Israeli leaders appear determined to prolong and expand the war to secure their political survival, maintain the occupation, and block a two-state solution. Israel acts with impunity, flouting international laws and norms. No rational mind, ethical nation, or responsible government can condone or ignore these actions, he said.
Dar stated that Israel has inflicted severe damage on the already fragile and volatile Middle East. The region has been devastated before under various pretexts, including geopolitics and the war on terrorism. Another prolonged crisis is untenable.
It cannot be allowed for the OIC region to turn into a chessboard for external power plays, determining the fate of its people, Dar said adding as the situation in the Middle East worsens, the region's youth, in particular, are questioning and placing high expectations on the OIC. They are demanding peace instead of war, stability rather than turmoil, and prosperity over deprivation.
The Muslim Ummah stands at a crossroads once more, and how it responds to the oppressor will be the measure of its resolve. Condemnation alone has proven insufficient in holding Israel accountable in the past, and there is no reason to expect a different result now.
What is needed is steadfast political will, complete unity, and decisive actions to address the crisis.
The OIC must send a strong message of solidarity with Palestine and Iran and take all necessary measures to act effectively.
Dar emphasized the need to prevent further escalation of tensions and violence in the region and to achieve a complete, durable, and unconditional ceasefire in the Occupied Territory. He asserted that if Israeli leadership continues to defy the legally binding demand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the entire OIC membership will impose collective measures, including trade and oil sanctions.
Dar called for an enhancement in humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered Palestinians in Gaza, emphasizing the need to address their critical needs for food, medicine, energy, and other essential supplies. He proposed that control of the Rafah crossing be returned to Egypt, all other supply access points to Gaza be opened, and that UN and international agencies, including UNRWA, be allowed to operate fully within Gaza.
Dar proposed accelerating the OIC's call for establishing a UN or international protection force to oversee humanitarian assistance and safeguard the people of Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem from Israeli atrocities.
He also urged for the prompt withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the initiation of its reconstruction, as outlined in the plan approved by the Security Council.
DPM proposed initiating the creation of an international judicial mechanism aimed at seeking restitution, damages, and accountability from Israel for its crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide in Gaza. This mechanism would hold those responsible for these atrocities accountable.
Dar expressed encouragement over several recent developments: the declaration of unity among all Palestinian groups in Beijing, the solidarity shown by Islamic countries during this crisis, the increasing global support for the Palestinian cause, and the clear, actionable conclusions of the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Palestine.
“We must initiate further actions to build on these developments including actions by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council in accordance with the ICJ’s opinion.”
“We must rapidly secure Palestine’s admission as a full member of the United Nations. We must urgently commence the political and diplomatic process to establish the two state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.”
Dar affirmed a steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people in their rightful struggle for self-determination. As Pakistan prepares to assume its UNSC seat on January 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 term, he highlighted that advancing global peace, particularly by mobilizing political and diplomatic support for long-standing disputes such as the Palestinian issue and the Jammu and Kashmir conflict, will be among the country’s top priorities.
Dar expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, and his son, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, for their crucial role in arranging a significant meeting in Jeddah.
He also extended his thanks to Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for responding swiftly to the urgent request from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Palestine.
He also expressed his appreciation to the OIC Secretariat, especially the Secretary-General, for their swift and effective preparations for the Executive Committee meeting on such short notice.
He stated that the meeting was occurring as the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East and beyond was intensifying, marking the moment as crucial for the history of the region and the Muslim world.
Dar noted that Israel’s ongoing conflict with the people of the Occupied Palestinian Territory was increasingly affecting the entire region. The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, where he was visiting, had significantly heightened tensions. He condemned the act as utterly horrific and warned of its severe and potentially catastrophic consequences.
He warned that if such acts of international terrorism and violations of sovereignty are allowed to continue unchecked, today it may be Iran, but tomorrow another OIC country could face similar threats, including extra-territorial killings and blatant breaches of its territorial integrity.
