Pakistan urges global attention to ‘systematic annexation’ of occupied West Bank

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged international attention toward “systemic annexation” of the occupied West Bank by Israel.

This was said in a statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, at the Arria Formula meeting on the situation in West Bank including East Jerusalem held on Friday.

In his statement, shared on X by Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN on Saturday, Ambassador Ahmad stated, “While international attention is consumed by multiple crises across the region, the systematic annexation of the occupied West Bank, expansion of illegal settlements, demolitions, land seizures and forced displacement of Palestinians continue unabated, and this requires our attention.”

The ambassador underscored “Israeli policies and illegal actions, unprecedented in scale and impact are undermining the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.” 

He said Pakistan condemns “Israel’s ongoing legislative and administrative measures aimed at entrenching its illegal occupation and transforming de facto annexation into de jure control.”

Illegal settlements 

The ambassador demanded that those actions must be reversed immediately. 

He said that “In nearly four years, the occupying power has approved 102 new settlements, nearly doubling the 127 settlements that existed previously.”

“At the same time, settler violence is escalating at an unprecedented rate,” Ambassador Ahmad said, urging, “All settler violence and settlement activities must cease, in full compliance with international law and relevant Council resolutions, including 2334.”

‘Deteriorating humanitarian situation’ 

He also expressed alarm at the “deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation” in the occupied Palestinian territory. 

Ambassador Ahmad said that the “annexation is on full throttle as we have been briefed”, adding, “The urgency for intervention is clear.” 

Reiterating Pakistan’s position on the issue, he said, “Pakistan reiterates that the only viable path to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East lies in ending the illegal Israeli occupation of all Arab territories and realizing the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, through the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”