Mohammad Jamil
REAFFIRMING Pakistan’s solidarity with the
people of Palestine, Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday reiterated the country’s call for the establishment of a viable, independent and the contiguous state of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters – the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. The Foreign Minister was speaking at an open-ended extraordinary virtual meeting of OIC Executive Committee at the level of Foreign Ministers, on ‘threats of the Israeli occupation government to annex parts of State of Palestine’s territory occupied in 1967’. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office at the virtual meeting called by the OIC General Secretariat at the request of Palestinian FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s statement noted with grave concern the framework agreement between coalition parties in Israel to advance plans for annexation of occupied Palestinian territories, including parts of Jordan Valley.
In his communiqué, the Foreign Minister underscored the similar nature of freedom struggles in Palestine and India-occupied Kashmir — the longest standing issues on the UN and OIC agenda, which are premised on the inalienable right of self-determination of their respective peoples. Meanwhile, Germany and its European partners have had serious concerns over Israel’s plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Israel has signalled it intends to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, as proposed by US President Donald Trump, with initial steps slated to begin from July 1, the same day Germany takes the rotating EU Presidency. The official statement also highlighted that the people of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) continue to face inhuman lockdown, military siege, communication blockade and unprecedented restrictions following India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019.
Last week, Palestinian leaders announced a counter-proposal to Donald Trump’s peace plan, which envisages one-to-one land swaps in return for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Mohammed Shtayyeh, the Palestinian Prime Minister, said he had submitted the plan to the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – the diplomatic “Quartet” that mediates the conflict. “We submitted a counter-proposal to the Quartet a few days ago,” Mr Shtayyeh said, adding that it proposed the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, independent and demilitarized with minor modifications of borders where necessary”. He reiterated the Palestinians’ strong opposition to annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel, and said he could only allow land swaps that were equal “in size, in volume and in value.” This counter-proposal is based on justice, but neither the US nor Israel would accept the proposal.
Earlier, Palestinians had dismissed US President Donald Trump’s new Middle East Peace Plan as a conspiracy, as it envisaged a Palestinian State and recognition of Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the occupied West Bank. Reacting to his announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had said Jerusalem was not for sale. He, however, mocked what Trump has called the “deal of the century,” describing it as the “slap of the century.” Palestinians had earlier refused to deal with the Trump Administration as a protest on moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. A few Arab countries consider Trump’s plan as an important starting point for a return to negotiations, not realizing that the US and Israel have shown utter disregard to the agreements reached in the past, and that this plan envisages a very small portion of land for Palestine.
The Palestinians want an independent State in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem – areas Israel captured in 1967. On 22 November 1974, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 3236 recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty in Palestine. Up to October 2014, 137 countries of the world had recognized Palestinian State. Spanish lawmakers adopted a motion on 18 November 2014, which read: “Parliament urges the government to recognize Palestine as a State. This recognition should be the consequence of a process negotiated between the parties that guarantee peace and security for both, the respect of the rights of the citizens and regional stability.” Sweden also formally recognized Palestinian State on 30 October 2014. The realization appeared to have dawned on the international community belatedly; yet the realization cannot mitigate Palestinians’ sufferings.
Despite various UN resolutions and accords including Oslo Accord for which America was a guarantor, there seemed to be no end in sight to the atrocities perpetrated on the Palestinians. After 1967 Arab-Israel War, more than five American Presidents had promised to get the UN resolutions implemented and Palestinians would get their State, but they backtracked. Unfortunately, it is a dispute between one of world’s strongest military powers i.e. Israel and armless stone throwing civilians of Palestine who had been imprisoned in Gaza through Israel’s blockade. It has to be mentioned that life in Palestine under normal conditions is pathetic, as scarcity of food, medicine and other necessities of life pose serious challenges to the people of Palestine.
Muslims throughout the world expressed concern over Israeli brutalities, but due to internal conflicts and sectarian divide they could not forcefully raise their voice against cruel and brutal killings of innocent men, women and children in Gaza. Some Arab countries see Iran’s support to Palestine as a tactical move to divide them. Israel has been saying that Tehran’s regime is financing terrorism and bolstering its proxies to commit vicious crimes while also pursuing nuclear weapons with the sole goal of destroying Israel. “We have a duty to preserve the forces of order by confronting the forces of chaos,” he said, adding that in Lebanon, Hizbullah — with inspiration, funding and weapons provided by Iran — has further entrenched itself in fight against Israel.
—The writer is a senior journalist based in Lahore.
