Ishaq Dar criticises Netanyahu's comments on Palestinian displacement as ‘irresponsible'
Pakistan has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks suggesting that the Palestinian people should establish a state in Saudi Arabia, calling the statement 'irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless.'
The condemnation came from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday, following Netanyahu's remarks during an interview on pro-Netanyahu Channel 14.
The Israeli leader appeared to be joking when he responded to an interviewer who mistakenly said "Saudi state" instead of "Palestinian state", before correcting himself.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, FM Dar said: 'The Israeli remark is irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless, which is not only deeply offensive but also undermines and disregards the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent state on their own historical and legitimate territory.'
Pakistan reaffirmed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia, commending the Kingdom's steadfast support for the Palestinian cause. The Foreign Office stated that any attempt to misrepresent Saudi Arabia's position on Palestine was 'deeply regrettable.'
FM Dar reiterated Pakistan's firm stance on Palestine, stating that the Palestinian people have an "inalienable right to establish an independent and sovereign state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.'
The Foreign Office strongly rejected any proposal that seeks to displace or relocate Palestinians, calling it a 'blatant violation of international law, UN resolutions, and the principles of justice and fairness.'
Pakistan vowed to continue working closely with Saudi Arabia and the international community to advocate for the rights of Palestinians and push for a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the conflict.
Pakistan also urged the international community to denounce Netanyahu's provocative remarks and hold Israel accountable for undermining the peace process.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Pak-Iran FTA vital for strengthening bilateral trade, says FM Dar
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday said Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and platforms like the Business Forum are vital for strengthening bilateral trade and promoting collaboration across key sectors, including energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. The foreign minister said this addressing the Pakistan-Iran Business Forum in Islamabad, in the presence of President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and the accompanying high-level delegation, the Foreign Office said. Reaffirming the deep-rooted brotherly ties between Pakistan and Iran, the FM underscored Pakistan's commitment to enhancing economic cooperation and regional connectivity. He welcomed the positive momentum toward finalising the Pakistan-Iran FTA. 'The economic diplomacy is a cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy,' he emphasised. He also highlighted the importance of deepening people-to-people linkages to ensure the shared prosperity of both countries.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Palestinians across West Bank protest Gaza war
RAMALLAH: Thousands of Palestinians protested in the occupied West Bank's major cities Sunday against the war in Gaza and in support of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. One of the largest marches took place in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority located just north of Jerusalem, with hundreds gathering at the main square, waving Palestinian flags. Many protesters carried photos of Palestinians killed or imprisoned by Israel, as well as photos depicting the hunger crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip, where UN-backed experts have warned that a 'famine is unfolding'. 'My son is in (Israel's) Megido prison and he suffers from many things, such as the lack of medicine the lack of food,' Rula Ghanem, a Palestinian academic and writer who took part in the march, told AFP. She told AFP that her son had lost 10 kilograms and suffered from scabies in jail. US envoy tells Israeli hostage families he is working on plan to end Gaza War The number of Palestinians jailed by Israel skyrocketed after the start of the war in Gaza, some for violent acts, but some also for posting political statements on social media, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs says. The commission's spokesman Thaer Shriteh told AFP: 'The international community is a partner in all this suffering, as long as it does not intervene quickly to save the Palestinian people and save the prisoners inside the prisons and detention centre.' A group of protesters dressed as skeletons and carried dolls around to symbolise the Gaza war's dire effect on children, who are most at risk of malnutrition. Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, which was already under blockade for 15 years before the war began. UN agencies, humanitarian groups and analysts say that much of the trickle of food aid that Israel allows in is looted or diverted in chaotic circumstances. 'We hope that our stand today will have an impact in supporting our people in Gaza and the hungry children in Gaza,' said 39-year-old Tagreed Ziada, one of the protesters at the Ramallah march. Protests were held Sunday in other major Palestinian cities such as Nablus in the north and Hebron in the south, with many government employees receiving a day off to attend the demonstrations. While there have been somewhat regular demonstrations against the war in Gaza, they are rarely coordinated across various cities in the West Bank.
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir visits Al-Aqsa, defying status quo at holy mosque
Listen to article Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and said he prayed there, challenging rules covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East. Under a delicate decades-old "status quo" arrangement with Muslim authorities, the Al-Aqsa compound is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation and Jews can visit but may not pray there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after Ben-Gvir's visit that Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo at the compound "has not changed and will not change". Read More: Israeli far-right minister renews calls for Gaza occupation Videos released by a small Jewish organisation called the Temple Mount Administration showed Ben-Gvir leading a group walking in the compound. Other videos circulating online appeared to show him praying. Reuters could not immediately verify the content of the other videos. The visit to the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount, took place on Tisha B'av, the fast day mourning the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples, which stood at the site centuries ago. The Waqf, the foundation that administers the complex on a hillside in Jerusalem's walled Old City, said Ben-Gvir was among another 1,250 who ascended the site and who it said prayed, shouted and danced. Also Read: Children in besieged Gaza dying at 'an unprecedented rate' Israel's official position accepts the rules restricting non-Muslim prayer at the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site and the most sacred site in Judaism. Ben-Gvir has visited the site in the past calling for Jewish prayer to be allowed there. Ben-Gvir said in a statement he prayed for Israel's victory over Palestinian militant group Hamas in the war in Gaza and for the return of Israeli hostages being held by militants there. He repeated his call for Israel to conquer the entire enclave. Suggestions that Israel would alter rules at the Al-Aqsa compound have sparked outrage in the Muslim world and ignited violence in the past. There were no immediate reports of violence on Sunday. A spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Ben-Gvir's visit, which he said "crossed all red lines." "The international community, specifically the US administration, is required to intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in Al-Aqsa mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid," Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.
