Multi-party conference sans PTI vows all out support for Gaza, demands immediate ceasefire

A multi-party conference (MPC) on Monday, without the PTI in attendance, vowed all-out support for Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire a year after the catastrophic Israeli invasion that has killed over 41,900 Palestinians.

The fighting in Gaza was triggered when Hamas fighters entered southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 100 hostages remain held by Hamas.

Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the territory’s health ministry. It has triggered global condemnation, calls for a ceasefire and legal proceedings against Israel in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave his assurance during a meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman that the government would host an MPC to condemn the Israeli atrocities in the Middle East.

The MPC was held at the President’s House in Islamabad and was attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal cabinet ministers and senior political leaders, including PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Hafiz Naeem, among others.

However, no PTI leaders were in attendance.

The conference assembled a resolution after discussions with the heads of all major parties.

Reading it out in full, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said, “We express our unwavering support for the inalienable right of the people of Palestine to self-determination and for the relevant OIC and UN resolutions on Palestine that call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian Territories and a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict.

“The declarations assure the people of Palestine of all parties’ unwavering support for achieving the right of self-determination and unequivocally condemn the ongoing Israeli aggression in Palestine in the strongest terms,” Dar read.

“The declaration demands an immediate ceasefire and the end of aggression in Gaza,” he read. “We also demand the immediate, unimpeded provision of humanitarian aid and to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law, war crimes and genocide.

“All parties support political and diplomatic efforts for peace and stability by the OIC, Arab League and other international organisations,” the resolution continued.

“We call on OIC to convene an emergency summit to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel’s brutal aggression in the region and its implications for the regional peace and security and underscores the need for unity in the Islamic Ummah.

“Pakistan will increase and redouble efforts to deliver political, diplomatic, moral and humanitarian support,” the resolution stated.

It added that Pakistan had dispatched 10 consignments of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and medical relief for the people of Lebanon.

“Pakistan supports an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital,” Dar said.

He also called for Palestine’s full membership at the UN

President Zardari expresses concern at escalation of tension

President Zardari expressed deep concerns over the growing Israeli adventurism in the region and escalation of tension, calling for the international community’s role to take swift action to restore peace and prevent conflict from spilling over.

The president said that during the last year, the Israeli occupation forces had killed over 41,800 Palestinians, besides destroying infrastructure.

He pointed out that Israel had even expanded its relentless attacks to target Lebanon, Syria and Yemen and endangered regional and global peace and security.

He said that regrettably, the international community had failed to stop Israel from committing genocide against the Palestinian population, specifically in Gaza, and also questioned the prevailing situation of impunity.

President Zardari said that it was crucial for the international community to take swift action to de-escalate the tension and prevent further loss of lives and conflict from spilling over to other parts of the region.

He also emphasised the UN Security Council (UNSC) to fulfil its responsibility of establishing peace and security in Palestine and Lebanon and reiterated Pakistan’s decades-old stance for a two-state solution by establishing an independent Palestine state based on pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.

President Zardari stressed that peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without resolving the Palestine issue following the UNSC resolutions.

Calling for a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestine, he also asked the UNSC to restrain Israel from violating international laws to restore peace in the Middle East.

The president reiterated Pakistan’s position of total withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and restoring the inalienable right of Palestinian people to self-determination.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz said the gathering bore witness that whenever the country faced a challenge, the entire political and religious leadership came together to speak as one, presented solid suggestions and expressed intent to implement them.

Questioning the urgency of world powers to resolve disputes such as East Timor, Sudan and others, PM Shehbaz asked: “Is the blood of Muslims any cheaper than theirs?”

He the international conscience should awaken at the events occurring in Gaza day and night and being brought to TV screens. “Our first duty is to stop this bloodshed.”

The premier said the government would form a working group constituting field experts who would go to the important capitals of the world to deliver Pakistan’s message and that of the Muslim community.

The prime minister emphasised that Pakistan would continue to play its role in sending relief goods to Palestinians, adding that the government had also made arrangements for medical education of students in the Gaza Strip.

Nawaz says UN ‘completely helpless’

Speaking after the president, Nawaz termed the brutal attacks on Palestinians as one of the “worst examples in history” and said everyone was aggrieved by the bloodied pictures on social media coming out of Gaza of children.

He criticised the global community’s silence on the matter, saying that many still did not consider it a human rights issue but framed it as a religious conflict.

“It seems the UN is completely helpless. There is no implementation of its passed resolutions.”

He said Israel was carrying out its actions with stubbornness, and uncaring of UN resolutions. “The UN also does not seem to care that it is a very big global body and yet it can’t get its resolution implemented, similar to Kashmir,” Nawaz added.

The PML-N president questioned what was the need for a UN which could not provide justice to the world or stop injustice. He said the sacrifices and spilt blood of Palestinians would bring fruit someday.

Nawaz said Islamic countries should take decisive measures for the issue. “Islamic countries have very big power and if it is not used today then when?”

He said world powers should also think how much longer they would continue to test the patience of the Islamic world and Palestinians with their continued support for Israel.

Nawaz said the government had to fulfil the aspirations of the Pakistani nation regarding the issue of Palestine, adding that adopting silence on the matter would be a “great failure”.

No political, religious basis for Israel’s existence: Fazl

Fazl said the root of the conflict lay in the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which ordered the creation of a Jewish homeland within the territory of Palestine.

“Since the Balfour Declaration of 1917, Jews began settling in Palestine,” Fazl said.

“We need to understand Pakistan’s position on the matter,” he added.

“In 1940, the Muslim League put forth a resolution that criticised the establishment of Jewish settlements. When Israel was founded, Jinnah termed it an illegitimate child.

“The leader of Israel at the time stated that Israel’s foreign policy is based on erasing a legitimate Islamic state,” Fazl added. “We must look at both perspectives and then ask why there are some people who are lobbying for the recognition of Israel.”

He mentioned that until October 7 last year, people were “coming on television pushing the recognition of Israel”.

When Hamas fighters attacked Israel, “all of these conversations stopped”, Fazl noted.

The JUI-F chief said he did not support a two-state solution in the region, in contrast to Pakistan’s official stance. “Our party does not support a two-state solution,” Fazl maintained. “It is an Arab land and all Jews should be expelled. There is no political or religious basis for Israel to exist.”

Referring to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Fazl maintained that all political parties should display unity, despite their differences, for the sake of the country on the global stage. “We are seated here in solidarity with Palestine, but we remain divided on politics and elections here,” he said. “If the SCO is being hosted here, we need to display unity to gain the trust of the world.”

The JUI-F chief slammed the Muslim world for not doing enough for Palestine, stating that if there was pain among Muslims anywhere, it was felt everywhere. “Are our hearts aching because of their pain?” Fazl asked. “We have done nothing for them despite their state, they are begging for our help.

“South Africa has done better than us … they stand up for Palestine and have not faltered, despite enticement,” Fazl lamented, referring to the genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

“Politically, these examples give us food for thought, about which perspective we need to adopt. Maybe resolutions are not enough for our Palestinian brethren.

“We need to take more concrete steps for our brothers,” he said. “We are recognised, as is Hamas. We must take steps regardless of repercussions.”

Two-state solution provides legitimacy to Israel: Hafiz Naeem

Recounting Israel’s actions and atrocities against the various denizens of the Gaza Strip, Hafiz Naeem termed its activities the “worst action against humanity”, adding that they amounted to “genocide and nothing else”.

He said the gathered political parties should stay insistent on that Israel was committing a genocide, adding that this was proven on international fronts as well.

“I think we need to send a very clear message from this platform: of one free Palestinian state. When we talk about 1967 [borders] or the two-state solution, then it means we are stepping back from our principled position that we consider Israel to be an occupying group and don’t consider it a state.”

Lashing out at Israel’s actions, the JI emir said: “Today the bodies of Palestinian children are burning, tomorrow even our children won’t be safe. Don’t expect anything from these people, they are terrorists.”

He also criticised the United States for its steadfast support of Israel and its own previous military adventurism in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It says that Hamas is a terrorist? Hamas is a legitimate force and Pakistan should at least clearly adopt this stance. It is my demand that there should be an office of Hamas in Pakistan,” Hafiz Naeem added.

He further said that Hamas was a “legitimate democratic force” that was not given rights or its due authority.

Hafiz Naeem reiterated that talking about the two-state solution amounted to providing legitimacy to Israel which was “unacceptable”. “I want to clearly say that our point of view is that we should only talk about a free Palestinian state and not fall into any other controversy,” he reiterated.

The JI emir also said that the military leaders of the Islamic countries should also be invited for strategic talks.

Every single Pakistani on same page about Palestine: Bilawal

“Today, the whole world can see that Pakistan is definitely a poor country. We have societal issues, terrorism threats, etc,” Bilawal said in his speech.

“But where the matter of Palestine is concerned, every single Pakistani is on the same page,” he added as fellow conference members nodded in agreement.

He commended PM Shehbaz’s decision to not only boycott the speech of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations but to lead the walkout from the UN General Assembly.

Bilawal affirmed that his party would offer any kind of support needed, and said other parties would do so too.

“We are ready to fight a political war, internationally, at a foreign affairs forum, we are ready to fight a diplomatic war.

“And the day you make a diplomatic decision, that God forbid you decide to have a regular war, then there is not a single person in this room who would not stand shoulder to shoulder with you,” Bilawal emphasised.

With reference to the Iraq war and the justification given for it of there being Weapons of Mass Destruction, Bilawal stated that the narrative surrounding Oct 7 was similar. “First they said the people of Palestine were peaceful, and that one day they just woke up and decided to attack the Israeli occupation forces.

“That’s not how it happened. Three or four generations have been fighting a war for their independence. The whole world is on one side, and these innocent Palestinian children and elderly are on the other,” Bilawal said.

He noted that the hostage issue was repeatedly brought up after Oct 7 and that the MPC attendees did not want hostages in any corner of the world.

“So when we’re sitting here saying that all the hostages should be freed, this means that the hostages taken after Oct 7 should be freed, but also the children and elderly who have, for three to four generations been kept in Israeli jails, with cruelty inflicted on them.

“So where there is talk about hostages, there must be talk about those in Israeli jails too,” Bilawal said to a round of applause.

He questioned how many Israeli hostages Israel had actually freed and how many were killed from Israel’s own bombardment.

“I ask, that if the hostages are behind this war that started on Oct 7, then we should be told how many hostages are in Yemen, in Lebanon, in Iran. October 7 and hostages and the crocodile tears [of Israel] are just excuses.

“What is their purpose? It is not only to completely just capture Palestine, or to commit genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. The purpose is to also capture Lebanon, and Egypt,” Bilawal stated.

He reiterated the need for Pakistan, the Muslim world and the UN to unveil the “zionist agenda and their conspiracy”.