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Saturday, April 13, 2024

Pakistan rebukes Israel over plan to annex West Bank

Pakistan has firmly rejected Israel's plans of annexing the West Bank, as a matter of principle and has extended whole-hearted support to Palestinians. It seems that Pakistan is channeling its anger over similar situation that its territory of Kashmir is experiencing. The rejection from Pakistani quarters of this illegal occupation has been resounding.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lawmakers, and politicians have unanimously rejected Israel’s plans to annex the Jordan valley, and all settlement blocs in West Bank. Pakistan had made it clear that it rejects Israeli plans in the wake of the planned annexation of Palestinian territory.

“Pakistan has a principled consistent position on Palestine. We view Israel’s coalition government proposal of “annexation” of the West Bank with grave concern,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Aisha Farooqui, told Anadolu Agency.

Pakistan rejects Israeli plans on matter of principle

Islamabad, she said, was opposed to any move for annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories as it would be a “serious violation of International law”, and a dangerous escalation in an already volatile situation.

Palestinian territories are under illegal Israeli occupation since 1967.

Read more: UN rights chief puts Israel annexation debate to rest

“Pakistan supports the position adopted by the UN and OIC on the issue of Palestine, and calls upon the international community to uphold and support the rights of the Palestinians,” she added.

“We reiterate our consistent support for the two-state solution of the Palestine issue as enshrined in the relevant Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions. Pakistan renews its call for establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”

Pakistan rejects Israeli plans: can not stay silent

Saleem Mandviwalla, deputy chairman of the upper house of the Pakistan parliament his country cannot stay silent over Israel’s planned move, and will continue to support the Palestine cause.

At a meeting with a delegation of Palestine Foundation Pakistan in the capital Islamabad, Mandviwalla, who is also a leader of center-left Pakistan Peoples Party, said the “Zionist lobby” had been a major hurdle in the way of a peaceful solution of the Palestine issue.

Read more: Israel PM hiding details about annexation plan to avoid backlash?

“A large number of Jews living in different parts of the world distinguish themselves from Zionists,” he said.

Senator Sirajul Haq, the chief of the country’s mainstream religious party Jamaat-e-Islami, said the Muslim world has already rejected Israel’s annexation plan to occupy Palestinian lands on the pretext of so-called “Deal of the Century.”

Israel annexation to be the last nail in coffin for peace in Middle East

The move, Haq warned in a statement, would further destroy all hopes for peace in the Middle East.

“The US-Israel plan to extend [Tel Aviv’s] illegal settlements would be a violation of international law,” Haq said, appreciating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “who has always raised voice for Palestinians and Kashmiris.”

Read more: Trump turns his back on Israel annexation plan: reelection bid or EU-US rapprochement?

“The silence of the Muslim world has actually encouraged Israel to kill Palestinians and displacing them from their homes, and hearths,” he said. “Palestinians have been facing state-sponsored terrorism for over the last seven decades but world powers are silent over Israeli atrocities, and violation of international human rights.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he will begin with the annexation early July.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UN, and EU among many other countries have also called on Israel to scrap its plans.

Trump also withdraws support from annexation plans

He described both Netanyahu and Trump as suffering from a “narcissistic paranoia, with no scrupulous and ethics who are ready to roll over anyone to save themselves and remain in power”.

When asked about another expected date for implementing the annexation plan, Borg said it is “very difficult, if not impossible, to set expectations to the annexation, because there is no transparency in this plan, no one knows its details.”

This is a sharp U-turn from Trump’s initial support for the annexation plan, and was even a part of his Middle East peace deal.

Read more: US continues to support Israel expansionist annexation policy

The administration of President Donald Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, had declined to criticise annexation and had rejected the consensus of most of the world that Israeli settlements on Palestinian land are illegal.
“Decisions about Israelis extending sovereignty to those places are decisions for the Israelis to make,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters in Washington.

 

Anadolu with additional input by GVS News Desk

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