Pakistan has issued a strong condemnation of a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he suggested that Palestinians should establish a state in Saudi Arabia. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi labeled the statement as “irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless.”
According to details, Netanyahu made the comment during an interview when a journalist mistakenly said “Saudi state,” which he then corrected. Today, a statement released by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry criticized Netanyahu’s remarks, with Qureshi stating, “The Israeli statement not only constitutes a severe insult but also overlooks the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to establish an independent state on their historic land.”
Qureshi also emphasized that Pakistan stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and praised its strong support for the rights of Palestinians. He further stated that any suggestion to displace Palestinians from their ancestral land is a blatant violation of international law, United Nations agreements, and principles of justice.
The Foreign Minister appealed to the global community to condemn the incendiary statement and hold Israel accountable for its actions that undermine peace efforts. Qureshi highlighted that he had discussed the current situation in Gaza with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and both foreign ministers emphasized an extraordinary Islamic cooperation in a ministerial meeting on the Palestinian issue.
Saudi Arabia has also strongly denounced Netanyahu’s statement, while Egypt and Jordan have opposed Israel’s suggestions. These Arab nations have directly criticized Netanyahu for his blatant disregard for Saudi sovereignty. This situation arises at a time when thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombings in Gaza, prompting strong international backlash against the issue.
In other news, an IMF team will visit Pakistan, the investigation into the murder of Louisa continues, and Donald Trump claims to have had talks with Vladimir Putin to end Russian attacks amid the conflict in Ukraine. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in jeopardy.
