Mushahid Hussain unveils 5-point action plan for Middle East peace

The senator called MBS to follow King Faisal’s legacy; urged leaders to engage Donald Trump to advocate for ceasefire

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed presented a comprehensive five-point action plan to address the crisis in Palestine and promote peace across the Middle East.

In his keynote address at the International Peace Institute (IPI) conference in Islamabad, he highlighted the need for decisive international intervention and called on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) to emulate the legacy of King Faisal, who had boldly supported the Palestinian cause.

Senator Hussain’s plan calls for an Arab and OIC Emergency Summit on November 11 to directly address Palestinian suffering and initiate a global delegation composed of leaders from the Global South and Europe.

Proposed delegates include representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Algeria, Brazil, and Norway and Ireland, who have officially recognized Palestine.

He urged these leaders to engage with US President-elect Donald Trump to advocate for a ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, and a commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state.

His second recommendation suggested forming a Joint Naval Humanitarian Flotilla, with Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia deploying naval forces to help break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

This initiative, pending authorization from the UN General Assembly, would demonstrate that the Muslim Ummah is capable of taking concrete actions in the region, showcasing a united front with political resolve.

Senator Hussain also emphasized the need for a global media initiative, inspired by a 2019 effort led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.

This platform would present unbiased narratives from the Muslim perspective, offering accurate accounts on pressing issues such as Palestine, Kashmir, Islamophobia, and the Rohingya crisis.

He urged journalists, academics, and think tanks to mobilize in a "battle of ideas and narratives," particularly following what he described as biased Western media coverage of the Gaza conflict.

As a fourth action, he proposed that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) establish a "Palestine Reconstruction Fund" aimed at rebuilding war-torn areas in Gaza and Lebanon.

Lastly, Senator Hussain advocated for a "Nuremberg-style" International War Crimes Tribunal to prosecute Israeli leaders for alleged crimes against humanity since October 7, 2023.

The tribunal would establish a War Reparations Fund for victims in Palestine and Lebanon, marking a commitment to justice.

In his closing remarks, Senator Hussain urged Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to draw inspiration from his late uncle, King Faisal, who, during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, imposed an oil embargo on Israel’s allies and convened a historic OIC summit with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization under Yasser Arafat as the legitimate representative of Palestinians.

Senator Hussain described King Faisal as “a great leader of the Muslim world, bold and courageous, with the vision to act for Palestine.”