ISLAMABAD: Senators on Monday expressed concern over the situation in Palestine and asked the international community to immediately act to stop killing of innocent Palestinians.

Taking part in the discussion on Israel’s “systematic assault against Palestinian worshippers” in Al Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramazan, PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar said Muslims must think in terms of unity, cooperation and planning.

Leader of the Opposition in the House Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said Pakistanis would continue their moral and diplomatic support for Palestinians who had been facing atrocities since 1948. “The issue has negative effects on Central Asia and the whole Islamic world,” he said, rejecting the Israeli claim that it was taking such steps in self-defence. He said dialogue was the only way forward for solution of any conflicts as wars were not always solutions to problems. He said India was committing similar atrocities against the people of Kashmir for the last 74 years.

He said the international community must work on the two-state solution to end the Palestine conflict, asking western countries to play a neutral role to bring the two sides to the negotiation table.

Leader of the House Dr Waseem Shahzad said the Palestine conflict was among the few issues on which all political parties were united. He said Palestinian women and children were subjected to violence by Israeli soldiers, while similar brutalities were being witnessed in India-held Kashmir. He said the UN resolutions were not being implemented to resolve both the issues.

He appreciated the role of Prime Minister Imran Khan in successful diplomatic efforts on Palestinian crisis. He said the foreign minister conveyed the concerns of Pakistan and rest of the Muslim world at the UN General Assembly demanding Israel end Gaza siege and international forces be deployed there to ensure security of Palestinians. The ICJ should be moved against human rights violations by Israel and establishment of Palestinian state in the light of UN resolutions was the only solution.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman expressed concern over a lack of action by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over what was happening in Palestine.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said there was a complete national consensus in Pakistan on four issues — Kashmir, Palestine, nuclear programme and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2021