Israeli actions in Syria 'counterproductive' to regional peace, Pakistan tells UN

Ambassador Jadoon says Israel's actions flagrant violations of international law and Syria's sovereignty

Pakistan on Tuesday called for Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Syrian territory, with its envoy to the United Nations warning that continued Israeli military actions were “profoundly counterproductive to the prospects for regional peace and stability” and threatened Syria’s efforts towards national reconciliation and economic recovery.

Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian and political situation in Syria, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said the actions were “flagrant violations of international law and Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“They are also profoundly counterproductive to the prospects for regional peace and stability,” Jadoon said, adding that while Syria worked to consolidate peace and recovery, “such violations serve only to create further instability”.

“They must cease,” he said.

Statement by Ambassador Usman Jadoon,
Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the UN Security Council Briefing on the Humanitarian and Political Situation in Syria
(12 October 2026)
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Madam President,

We thank Deputy Special Envoy Cordone, and ASG… pic.twitter.com/G2cSBqSSI7

— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) October 13, 2026

Jadoon said the occupied Syrian Golan remained Syrian territory under international law and cited UN Security Council resolutions 338 and 497. He reiterated Pakistan’s call for Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Syrian territory and full compliance with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

The Pakistani envoy said it was “deeply regrettable” that continued Israeli military actions threatened to undermine Syria’s efforts to achieve national reconciliation and revive its economy.

Jadoon said Pakistan welcomed the Syrian government’s efforts towards national reconciliation and the advancement of the country’s political transition.

“Today, amid the challenges of recovery and reconstruction, there is a renewed sense of hope in Syria,” he said. He added that a country which had witnessed years of conflict was “steadily reclaiming its rightful place in the region and the wider international community”.

Jadoon said Syria’s renewed diplomatic engagement, restoration of national institutions and gradual revival of economic activity offered “highly encouraging signs of a new chapter in Syria’s history”.

He said Pakistan welcomed progress in engagement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and hoped that outstanding challenges, including the situation in Suweida, would be addressed through dialogue and peaceful engagement.

“Syria’s unity and diversity are mutually reinforcing,” he said, stressing the need for “full respect for Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

The Pakistani envoy said Syria’s reconstruction and economic revival required sustained international support.

He said the lifting of sanctions by the United States and the European Union, alongside expanding investment and economic partnerships with friendly countries, particularly in the region, and European partners, would provide “important impetus to Syria’s recovery and development”.

At the same time, Jadoon said, “sustained humanitarian assistance remains essential to address the needs of the Syrian people”.

He said Pakistan shared a sense of optimism about Syria’s future, adding that bilateral ties between the two countries continued to grow. “The leadership of our two countries recently met on the sidelines of the General Assembly High-Level Week, reaffirming our shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations,” he said.

Jadoon also warned that the threat posed by Daesh and other terrorist groups, including foreign terrorist fighters, required "sustained vigilance".

He expressed Pakistan’s support for Syria’s efforts to counter terrorism, consolidate security and strengthen national institutions. “We appreciate the constructive and measured engagement of the Syrian leadership in wisely navigating the country’s challenges amidst a complex regional situation,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Jadoon reaffirmed that “Pakistan will remain a steadfast friend and partner of Syria,” he said, adding that the two countries’ relations, rooted in shared cultural bonds and mutual respect, would continue to deepen.

“The people of Pakistan will continue to stand in solidarity and friendship with their Syrian brothers and sisters,” he said.