Summary Pakistan urges an end to Israeli occupation, demanding an irrevocable timeline for Palestinian independence, East Jerusalem as capital, and urgent Gaza humanitarian relief
NEW YORK (Web Desk) - Pakistan has called for a permanent end to the Israeli occupation and urged the international community to establish a definitive and irrevocable timeline for the creation of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Addressing a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Middle East, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said lasting peace in the region would remain elusive as long as the occupation continues and the Palestinian people were denied their right to self-determination.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and stressed that the internationally supported two-state solution remained the essential foundation for achieving a just and lasting peace.
Jadoon noted that the question of Palestine received significant attention during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, where discussions and statements reflected broad support for a two-state solution. He emphasized, however, that political commitments must be accompanied by concrete measures to safeguard the territorial integrity and viability of a future Palestinian state.
Pakistan Warns Against Settlement Expansion
The Pakistani envoy said UN Security Council Resolution 2803, the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, and the New York Declaration offered mutually reinforcing frameworks for advancing peace. However, he warned that Israeli actions on the ground were undermining international efforts and threatening to make a viable Palestinian state increasingly difficult to establish.
Jadoon expressed particular concern over the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, highlighting the proposed E1 settlement project as a threat to the territorial contiguity of Palestinian lands. He also condemned settler violence, home demolitions, land seizures and forced evictions, saying such actions were entrenching annexation and weakening the prospects for peace. Pakistan called for an immediate halt to all settlement activities in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2334, an end to settler violence and accountability for those responsible.
Call to Protect Al-Aqsa Mosque
Jadoon also condemned provocative and illegal incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as Al-Haram al-Sharif, and called for the preservation of the historical and legal status of the holy sites. He stressed that protecting these sites was essential amid continuing tensions in the region.
Urgent Action Needed in Gaza
Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Pakistani representative expressed concern over persistent ceasefire violations, the killing of Palestinian civilians and restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries. He warned that the onset of winter could further worsen conditions for Palestinians already facing severe hardships. Jadoon called for the full implementation of the ceasefire, the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance on a large scale and the immediate launch of recovery and reconstruction efforts.
He also underscored the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), emphasizing the importance of supporting its humanitarian operations. Pakistan, he said, rejects forced evictions and any attempt to fragment Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, maintaining that these territories constitute a single, unified Palestinian entity. The Pakistani envoy further called for the release of withheld Palestinian revenues to enable the Palestinian Authority to carry out its responsibilities and provide essential services.
Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Saudi Arabia and Yemen Peace Efforts
In his address, Jadoon also condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and its civilian and economic infrastructure, calling for an immediate cessation of such actions. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its right to self-defence against external attacks under international law.
On Yemen, the Pakistani representative expressed support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy to resume negotiations aimed at securing a comprehensive and lasting peace. Pakistan’s remarks underscored its call for renewed international efforts to address the Palestinian question, alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and pursue diplomatic solutions to conflicts across the Middle East.
