At OIC meeting, Dar calls for ‘urgent’ attention to illegal West Bank settlements, Gaza peace plan

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the international community to urgently address the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the ongoing violations of the Gaza ceasefire during a meeting of the OIC Committee of Six on Palestine in New York. Dar emphasized that such actions constitute "flagrant violations of international law."

He reiterated that the Palestinian cause remains central to the OIC and the Muslim Ummah, and stressed the importance of the Committee of Six in mobilizing political and diplomatic support for the Palestinian people. Dar highlighted the humanitarian crisis in both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the fragile security situation, and noted that recent diplomatic efforts had opened an opportunity to advance a critical process.

However, he acknowledged that significant challenges persisted. The Foreign Minister commended the efforts of countries like the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey in implementing the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Dar expressed concern over Israeli settlement activities, settler violence, and annexation policies in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which threaten the territorial integrity and contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territory and undermine the prospects of a future Palestinian state.

He reiterated Pakistan's strong condemnation of Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, labeling these acts as blatant breaches of international law and relevant UN resolutions. Dar called for renewed, coordinated diplomatic action by the OIC and its member states, outlining six points for action: safeguarding the historical and legal status quo at holy sites within Jerusalem, rejecting Israeli settlement expansion, annexation, settler violence, and forced displacement, supporting the full implementation of the Gaza peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, ensuring Palestinian-led reconstruction and governance in Gaza, supporting accountability for violations of international law, and maintaining sustained efforts towards a credible, irreversible, and time-bound political process leading to an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Dar emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional challenges, particularly in light of the evolving situation in the Middle East, and stressed the need for all parties to adhere to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding to advance regional stability.