Pursuit of 'Greater Israel' threatens region: Dar

Pakistan on Monday mounted a strong denunciation of the "highly escalatory and dangerous" statements about Greater Israel plans, warning that such pronouncements risked plunging the entire region into even greater instability while compounding Gaza's humanitarian tragedy.

In a powerful address to the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) in Jeddah Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar warned the history will judge the Muslim world by its actions to prevent another Nakba.

Dar issued a stark condemnation of Israel's recent provocative statements and unveiled a comprehensive seven-point plan for Palestine. He reiterated Pakistan's support for the brotherly Arab states in safeguarding their sovereignty against threats to their independence and territorial integrity.

The OIC-CFM meeting convened as Gaza continues to bleed. Dar described the Israeli action in Gaza a "systematic, premeditated and deliberate violations of international law", being committed with impunity.

Dar singled out the "brazen audacity of the so-called Israeli cabinet" for unveiling an "ominous plan to extend Israel's full military control over Gaza" and condemned the Israeli prime minister's recent allusion to the creation of a 'Greater Israel'.

This, The deputy prime minister stated, provided a clear "insight into Israel's annexationist and rogue mindset," constituting a direct threat to Arab national security, state sovereignty, and regional and international peace.

"Pakistan fully stands by their brotherly Arab states in safeguarding their sovereignty against threats to their independence and territorial integrity," Dar asserted, fully endorsing a joint statement issued by 31 Arab countries and regional bodies condemning Benjamin Netanyahu's "outrageous insinuation."

Painting a harrowing picture of the situation on the ground, Dar declared that "Gaza has become a graveyard for innocent lives as well as for international law." He cited the over 60,000 Palestinians killed—most of them women and children.

He condemned the systematic targeting of hospitals, schools, and United Nations facilities. "These were not incidental," the Pakistani foreign minister told the Muslim world, "these are wanton acts of collective punishment in full world view."

He detailed a "full-scale humanitarian catastrophe," with Gaza enduring nearly two years of indiscriminate bombardment, a total blockade, and "deliberate deprivation and starvation." He labelled the so-called humanitarian system a "cruel illusion."

"Famine is rampant, civilians are being shot trying to collect food," Dar said. Against this backdrop, he added, the Palestinian question was a "litmus test for the credibility of the so-called 'rules-based order'."

He warned that "failure to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people will embolden impunity and undermine the legitimacy of the very order we all claim to defend." Echoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dar said as long as Israel's illegal "occupation endures, peace will remain elusive."

To break the cycle of violence and safeguard the global order, Dar articulated a detailed seven-point plan. First, he called for an "immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire" with full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735.

Second, he demanded "unfettered, sustained and secure humanitarian access," noting Pakistan's own steady dispatch of aid. Third, he urged renewed international support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine.

Fourth, Dar demanded an "end to forced displacement, illegal settlement expansion and annexation of Palestinian land," warning that Israel's intent to occupy Gaza city would be a "deliberate attempt to obliterate Palestinian existence and heritage."

Fifth, he called for the implementation of the Arab and OIC-led reconstruction plan for Gaza. Sixth, he pressed for the revival of a genuine political process for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Seventh, and finally, Foreign Minister Dar demanded "accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity," insisting that Israel must not be allowed to act with impunity in defiance of international law and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Dar reserved specific condemnation for actions in Jerusalem, stating that "any desecration of Al Aqsa Mosque is an intolerable provocation." He called the incursions by Israeli officials into Al-Quds Al-Sharif a "deliberate assault on Muslim settlements" and a "direct challenge to the collective conscience of the Muslim Ummah."

He called on the UN Security Council, as the primary body for global peace, to "impose a cost on Israel" and to enact enforcement measures, including "the deployment of an international protection force to save the besieged population in Gaza."

In his concluding remarks, Dar framed the moment as a defining one for the Muslim Ummah. "History would not judge them by their words but by their actions," he stated.

"The Palestinian people do not seek statements of sympathy; they need concrete measures to end their suffering and secure their liberation from Israeli occupation. The OIC must rise to this challenge with unity, resolve, and purpose. Another Nakba cannot, and must not, be allowed to happen."

Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment, Dar said, "Palestine is a priority for Pakistan," and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the country will continue to work with OIC and Arab partners to mobilise global support.

He stressed that the OIC must act with urgency and determination, stating, "It is time for credible action, to reaffirm our shared commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

On the sidelines of the OIC-CFM, Dar met with the Saudi Foreign Minister to discuss the grave situation in Gaza, including the ongoing genocide, famine, and the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire and reconstruction.