Pakistan has strongly condemned recent air strikes by Israel on Gaza that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries to so many innocent Palestinians. Pakistan called upon the international community to urge Israel to put an immediate end to the blatant use of force and flagrant violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people. According to the Foreign Office Spokesperson, the latest spate of aggression was typical of the Israeli atrocities, illegal actions, and indiscriminate use of force against innocent Palestinians over the decades in utter defiance of international human rights and humanitarian laws. Pakistan stressed the need for a viable, independent, and contiguous Palestinian State, with pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital is the only just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, which was also demanded in the United Nations and OIC resolutions on Palestine dispute.
The situation in Palestinian self-ruled open penitentiary regions of Gaza and the west bank is very serious because innocent Palestinians are not safe in their own homes in those open prisons. The Israeli military troops are accustomed to invading Palestinians’ homes through tanks and heavy bulldozers, razed their residential complexes, and kidnapped innocent Palestinian men, women, and children without any reason, while Israeli fighter jets usually carry out strikes in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon as well as in Syria to strengthen their grip over the entire region.
There was relative peace after 11 days of fierce fighting between Israel and Palestinian freedom fighters in May last year. In the latest spate of Israeli aggression, the Israeli Air Force carried out a surprise attack on a residential complex in Gaza and destroyed a number of houses which resulted in the deaths of 24 Palestinians including the death of Tayseer Al-Jaabari, a senior commander of Islamic Jihad along with dozens of innocent men, women, and children and caused injuries to over 200 people. Israel claimed that it had targeted weapon depots located in a residential area as pre-emptive measures ahead of an impending attack on its territory by the Islamic Jihad. The Palestinian Authority declared it blatant aggression, and the Palestinian resistance groups retaliated against the Israeli assault and fired multiple rockets at Israel.
The International Community has expressed a mixed reaction to the current hostility in Palestine, the United States fully supported Israel’s right to defend itself and urged both sides to avoid further escalation. The European Union also advised parties to observe restraint without mentioning the aggressor, while Arab nations are still mulling their possible reaction which can satisfy Palestinians but not antagonize Israel, which has emerged as their important trade partner and strategic ally against Iran. An Iranian General has vowed Iran’s support for Palestine and said that Palestinians are not alone in their fight against the Jewish state and Iranian people will fully back their brethren in their just struggle against the illegal occupier.
In fact, war is not a solution to any problem, but the military muscles and war potential of the adversary motivate hegemonic powers to broker peace if they desire a peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. As Palestinians are divided and Arabs have abandoned them, so Palestinian’s weakness encourages Israel to invasion. Hence, Arabs are advised to pause trade and demonstrate unity if they intend to protect themselves and the Palestinians from their common for in the future.
