The Hague, 24 February 2024 (TDI): Pakistan presented its statement before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), passionately urging for an end to the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian Territories specifically Gaza.
In the context of the ongoing hearing, which delves into the ‘Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel,’ focusing on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Pakistan’s compelling voice resonates with a fervent call to end this illegal occupation and adds momentum to the quest for justice.
Pakistan’s statement in ICJ
Delivering the oral statement on behalf of Pakistan, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Mr. Ahmed Irfan Aslam, said that the perpetuated occupation of Palestinian territory hampers the exercise of Palestinian rights to self-determination.
Through its illegal settlement policy, Israel is trying to create “irreversible facts on the ground,” continue its illegal occupation, and deny access to the Holy places in Jerusalem. He added.
Moreover, he emphasized that these illegal policies and practices amount to systematic racial discrimination and apartheid against the people of Palestine. The ICJ would fail to discharge its judicial functions if it did not stop Israel from profiting “from its own continued grave wrongs.”
Aslam said that Pakistan has been led to “the conclusion that Israel’s occupation is unlawful and unlawfulness must have consequences.
Also Read: OIC urges global action for Gaza crisis
The oral hearing comes at a time when the Palestinians are facing a brutal onslaught from the Israeli occupation forces.
“In this backdrop, the government and the people of Pakistan continue to express their unwavering solidarity with their Palestinian brothers and sisters at all international forums, including the ICJ,” the foreign office stated.
It further stated that Pakistan has been calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the provision of sufficient, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of Gaza.
Also, the need for a just, comprehensive, and durable solution through the establishment of a secure, viable, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The ICJ hearings have witnessed various delegations condemning Israel’s conduct, with accusations spanning from colonialism to ethnic cleansing and genocide. The South African delegation chiefly related Israel’s actions to their own historical fight against apartheid.The
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