Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan on Wednesday backed Palestine’s demand for making Jerusalem as the capital of its independent state on the basis of pre-1967 borders, a statement released by the Foreign Office said.
The announcement comes a day after US President Donald Trump presented his Middle East plan as a solution to one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.
The Foreign Office, in its statement Wednesday, said Pakistan has “seen the peace plan that the United States has presented for the Middle East”.
However, the FO clarified that while Pakistan “has consistently supported a two-state solution, as enshrined in the relevant Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions” it wants the “establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally-agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif [Jerusalem] as its capital”.
Pakistan continues to support a just and lasting solution of the Palestinian issue, through dialogue and negotiations,” the statement said.
It added that Pakistan wants a solution that “leads to the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, including the right of self-determination.”
AFP Adds Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas — who had taken part in previous US-led peace talks with Israel but stayed away from Trump’s proposal — vowed that “this conspiracy deal will not pass”.
He pledged to “resist the deal in all its forms” after meeting with various Palestinian factions in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
“Our people will take it to the dustbin of history,” he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also lambasted Trump’s plan as “absolutely unacceptable”, AFP said.
“Jerusalem is sacred for Muslims. The plan to give Jerusalem to Israel is absolutely unacceptable. This plan ignores Palestinians’ rights and is aimed at legitimising Israel’s occupation,” Erdogan was quoted by AFP as saying.
