Riyadh
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered a speech to the Arab-Islamic Summit on Monday, denouncing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran and reiterating Pakistan\u2019s \u201cunwavering support\u201d for the people of Palestine.
\nArab and Muslim leaders have gathered in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a summit addressing the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a chance to send a message to US president-elect Donald Trump.
\nPM Shehbaz, who left for Riyadh on Sunday, addressed the summit and pointed out the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza.
\n\u201cThe humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a level beyond imagination,\u201d he said. \u201cFor over one year, the occupied Palestinian territories, especially Gaza, have fallen in endless darkness and despair with devastated homes, lives lost and families torn apart.
\n\u201cThese atrocities committed against the Palestinians have rightfully been labelled as genocide, not only by the media but the International Court of Justice,\u201d the prime minister added.
\n\u201cWith each passing day, every moral code is flagrantly violated by Israel. yet the killing and destruction continue with no end in sight. I ask \u2026 how long will this annihilation be ignored?\u201d
\nPM Shehbaz then noted that Israel has become emboldened by the \u201cworld\u2019s indifference and inaction\u201d, lamenting that calls for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian relief have fallen on deaf ears.
\n\u201cThe most sophisticated weapons continue to be supplied to Israel. Indeed, it has been assured of unconditional assistance and protection,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cInternational humanitarian laws meant to protect the vulnerable have been torn to shreds,\u201d PM Shehbaz said. \u201cHumanity is being tested and failing. Is it any wonder then that after decades of suffering and oppression, the spirit of resistance remains unbridled?\u201d
\nThe prime minister reiterated Pakistan\u2019s commitment and unwavering support to \u201cestablish an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine with Al-Quds Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital, based on the pre-1967 borders.\u201d He stated that Palestinian self-determination is \u201cthe only avenue towards justice and durable peace in the Holy Land\u201d.
\nThe PM also condemned Israeli military action in Iran and Lebanon, warning: \u201cSuch escalations constitute a dangerous threat that could unleash a broader war.\u201d
\n\u201cAs the Ummah, we are bound by duty, by faith and by our conscience to stand resolutely with the people of Palestine more than ever before,\u201d Shehbaz said. \u201cWe must not let this systematic genocide and aggression persist.\u201d
\nIsrael\u2019s retaliatory campaign against Hamas\u2019s attack last year on Israel has killed more than 43,600 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to data from the territory\u2019s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
\nThe Oct 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel had resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
\nLebanon-based Hezbollah began firing on Israel after the October 7 attack. The regular cross-border exchanges escalated in late September when Israel intensified its air strikes and sent ground troops into southern Lebanon.
\n\u201cLet this summit be a moment to transform our voices into actions,\u201d the PM said. \u201cTogether, we must move beyond condemnation and act swiftly to uphold justice and dignity for the people of Palestine and all those who face oppression.\u201d
\n\u201cMay our unity today be the dawn of Palestine\u2019s freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Riyadh Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered a speech to the Arab-Islamic Summit on Monday, denouncing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran and reiterating Pakistan\u2019s \u201cunwavering support\u201d for the people of Palestine. Arab and Muslim leaders have gathered in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a summit addressing the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, a chance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":442957,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-442939","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n