Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations Usman Iqbal Jadoon has asked the General Assembly and UN Security Council to consider the establishment of a special tribunal and accountability mechanism to investigate Israel’s crimes in Palestine, state-run Radio Pakistan reports.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly Debate on the ‘Question of Palestine’, Ambassador Jadoon urged the deployment of an international protection force or mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians, especially women and children in Gaza and occupied West Bank.

He strongly condemned the indiscriminate use of force by Israel, saying that its attacks on civilians, infrastructure, blockading of water, food and fuel, as well as the forced displacement of people within the occupied territory, are flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Pakistan’s position remains in favour of a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities, the ambassador asserted, adding that Israel must be held accountable for its defiance and criminal actions.