NEW YORK: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called Gaza a graveyard of international law, urging the UN to grant Palestine full membership, enforce a permanent ceasefire, and ensure uninterrupted aid reaches civilians trapped under siege.
“The blockade of aid [and] deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including refugee camps, hospitals, and aid convoys, have crossed every red line of legality and humanity,” DPM Dar said, addressing a high-level global moot at the UN.
“This collective punishment must stop now!”
Titled the “International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,” the event was co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France
The DPM also praised recent moves by European nations backing Palestinian statehood, saying:
“We welcome France’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine and encourage other countries that have not done so far to extend recognition and contribute to this global momentum for Palestinian statehood.”
Calling for global recognition of Palestine and its full UN membership, he said Gaza today has become a graveyard of international law and humanitarian principles.
“The death and destruction inflicted by Israel, including the killing of over 58,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, is an unconscionable breach of international humanitarian law, UN resolutions and the binding measures of the International Court of Justice.”
Demonstrating Islamabad’s firm commitment to a just and lasting solution, the DPM reaffirmed the country’s willingness to go beyond political statements and contribute meaningfully to Palestine’s institutional and human development.
“Pakistan stands ready to extend dedicated technical assistance and capacity building support to our Palestinian brothers and sisters in key sectors such as public administration, health, education and service delivery, in coordination with the Palestinian leadership.”
He said Pakistan was prepared to contribute to the building of institutions, including through participation in the Arab-OIC Plan, and any international protection mechanism.
Dar concluded his speech by saying that justice delayed is justice denied.
“But when justice is denied for generations, the consequences are even graver,” the foreign minister said, adding, “The question of Palestine has impacted the entire region and beyond.”
Stressing that the occupation must end now, Dar said, “We must give hope to the Palestinian people.”
“It is time for freedom, self-determination and statehood, and Palestine’s full membership of the UN. That will be the best guarantee for lasting peace in the region,” the deputy prime minister said.
It is worth noting that the UN General Assembly had decided last year that such a conference should be held in 2025. However, the conference scheduled for June was postponed following the Israeli attack on Iran.
‘World needs to act now’
Earlier, UN Secretary-General António Guterres kicked off the conference with a clear message: “The world needs to act now to secure a workable two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.”
He said the scale of devastation in Gaza was unbearable and made it clear—there’s no excuse for wiping Gaza off the map.
Calling the conference timely, Guterres said it could be a turning point, one that pushes forward real and lasting progress towards ending the occupation.
He said the effort could move things forward in fulfilling the shared goal of a viable two-state solution.
French FM’s remarks
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the fighting in Gaza must end—and that can’t be the finish line. What comes next, he stressed, has to be real movement towards a lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
He warned that the war was putting the entire region’s peace and stability at risk.
Barrot said only a two-state solution can address the legitimate hopes of both Palestinians and Israelis, adding that there’s no Plan B—political dialogue is the only way forward.
US, Israel skip moot
The United States and Israel stayed away from the UN conference on the two-state solution for Palestine.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the conference was held at the wrong time and would not be useful.
She argued that the event could actually make the search for peace more difficult.
