Pakistan requests that the UNSC hold Israel responsible for the attack on Qatar.
Pakistan has urged the UN Security Council to hold Israel responsible for its “illegal and unprovoked aggression” against Qatar, going beyond merely denouncing the Israeli strikes that targeted Hamas negotiators.
The permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, spoke at the 15-member Council’s emergency meeting on the Middle East. He reaffirmed the importance of international law and the UN Charter in preserving world peace and security and emphasized the need to protect the role and protection of mediators involved in peace efforts.
Under the direction of South Korea, the September Council President, Pakistan, Algeria, and Somalia requested the meeting.
As a “reckless and provocative attack” on Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Pakistani envoy declared, “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the illegal and unprovoked Israeli aggression against the brotherly State of Qatar.”
Adding that this “brazen and illegal assault” is not an isolated incident, but rather is part of a larger and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that threatens regional peace and stability, he pointed out that the Israeli strikes targeted a residential neighborhood, purposefully putting civilians in danger, and constituted a grave breach of international humanitarian law.
According to him, Pakistan fully supports the government and people of Qatar and their inalienable right to take all necessary steps to protect their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of everyone on their territory in accordance with the UN Charter.
“Prime Minister of Pakistan H.E. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is visiting Qatar today with a high-level delegation that includes the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister as a show of solidarity and regional unity,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad informed delegates.
“The visit demonstrates Pakistan’s steadfast support for Qatar’s security and sovereignty as well as its dedication to Middle Eastern peace and stability.”
He went on to say, “Israel’s reckless behavior is just another example of its flagrant policy of destabilizing the area and its chronic contempt for international law. It contributes to its lengthy and questionable history of aggression, including ruthless military operations in Gaza and several cross-border attacks in Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon, all of which violate the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.
“According to UNGA resolution 3314, such acts of aggression also create a risky precedent, undermine the importance of the rule of law, and foster a culture of impunity that jeopardizes the security of all states.”