F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday welcomed a new ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah. The ICJ amended an earlier order and demanded Israel immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where Tel Aviv sent forces May 6.
“Israel must immediately hold its military offensive or any other action in the Rafah governorate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza, conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part,” said ICJ President Nawaf Salam, as he read the order on additional provisional measures requested by South Africa in the genocide case against Israel.
In a statement, FO spokesperson said: “Pakistan supports the application filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention, in follow up to which the Court has announced additional provisional measures.
“As required by the latest ruling of ICJ, Israeli occupation authorities should keep the Rafah crossing open for unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance, and ensure unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or other investigative body mandated by the United Nations to investigate allegations of genocide,” she added. The statement further demanded immediate and unconditional implementation of the latest orders of the ICJ against Israel as well as the previous orders of 26 January and 28 March.
“We call on the UN Security Council to play its role in ending Israel’s ongoing brutal military campaign across Gaza; allowing unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance; taking effective measures to protect civilians in Gaza; and holding Israel accountable for its crimes,” it reads. It said that Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinians for a viable, secure, contiguous and sovereign State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
