Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries have condemned Israel’s rejection of a roadmap aimed at completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE said Israel’s rejection of the roadmap and Palestinian statehood undermined international efforts to achieve a lasting peace.
The countries said Israel’s position amounted to a direct repudiation of the plan and placed responsibility on Tel Aviv for obstructing efforts to end the war in Gaza and the wider occupied Palestinian territories.
The statement said the roadmap, accepted by Palestinian factions, envisages the decommissioning of weapons, withdrawal of Israeli forces, deployment of an International Stabilization Force and transfer of administrative authority in Gaza to a Palestinian national committee.
The eight countries urged the United States to maintain sustained and active engagement to ensure Israel complies with the commitments under the plan and does not obstruct its implementation.
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They warned that Israel would bear responsibility for any consequences arising from continued rejection, delay or non-compliance with the roadmap, including further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
The foreign ministers also called for the immediate implementation of the comprehensive plan to address the humanitarian crisis, facilitate Gaza’s reconstruction and establish conditions for a lasting peace.
They categorically rejected attempts to deny Palestinian statehood, saying a just and lasting peace could only be achieved through a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement also urged the Board of Peace, with US support, to take immediate measures to protect the integrity of the plan and advance its second phase.
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The development follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of key elements of the Gaza roadmap. Netanyahu has insisted that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is “genuinely” disarmed.
The US-backed plan links Israel’s military withdrawal to Hamas surrendering its weapons, a condition that has faced strong opposition from the Israeli government and its right-wing allies.
