Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has asked for Pakistan’s support for the non-state bid of Palestinians when the issue is raised at international forums, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Friday, Mursi expressed concern over Israel’s recent air raids in the Gaza Strip which have killed and maimed several Palestinians. He stressed that peace in the Middle East would remain elusive until the Palestine issue was resolved.
Condemning the Israel’s military aggression in Gaza, Premier Ashraf said Pakistan considered the air strikes a grave violation of international law and humanitarian norms. Israel’s threats of a ground offensive in Gaza are even more disturbing and could plunge the entire region into a conflict, he added.
Assuring President Mursi of Pakistan’s support on the issue in the UNSC, Premier Ashraf reminded him that Islamabad was among the sponsors of the council’s first resolution on Palestine.
Pakistan believes in Palestine’s quest for statehood and that it cannot be denied that right any longer, he added. The people of Pakistan stand behind the people of Palestine like they have always done in the past.
Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the UNSC. And its term expires on December 31, 2013.
At least 23 Palestinians have been killed and over 250 have been injured in a series of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Israel has carried out at least 466 air strikes since it launched “Operation Pillar of Defence” on Wednesday afternoon with the targeted killing of Hamas commander Ahmed Jaabari.
Tel Aviv maintains that the strikes are a response to rocket fires from Gaza at targets in Israeli territory. Hamas’s armed wing, meanwhile, said the rockets were fired in retaliation for Jaabari’s assassination. A total of 280 rockets have been fired at the Jewish state since Wednesday, claimed Israeli military officials.
(Read: Strikes on Gaza)
(WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM AGENCIES)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2012.
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Being a Pakistani, Being a Nuclear power State we are Shameful in front of Inocent Paletines Brothers & Sister.Indeed we can Feel your Pain but our Rulers Can't feel as their beloved Assets are there in US banks.
Mr. Mursi, Please don't try to jolt our politicians and army. They are busy in their own quest of powers, and the people of Pakistan are in such a deep slumber that they won't bother to break the shackles and raise their voices against Israeli barbarism !!
A Shameful Pakistani.