FM Qureshi, Saudi counterpart discuss grave situation in Palestine

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday contacted Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, to discuss the grave situation in Palestine, ARY News reported.

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, FM Qureshi expressed Pakistan’s serious concerns on the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and grave human rights violations. He condemned the continued attacks by the Israeli forces against the Palestinians, in particular innocent civilians and children, adding that the Israeli acts defied all norms of humanity and international law.

The foreign minister recalled the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement issued during the recent visit of the prime minister to the Kingdom, on 8 May 2021, which, inter alia, included the two countries’ shared perspective on the Palestinian issue. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination and establishment of their independent state with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.

The Saudi foreign Minister expressed concerns at the serious developments in Palestine and briefed his Pakistani counterpart regarding the initiatives being taken to address the situation.

FM Qureshi welcomed the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convene an emergency meeting of the OIC’s executive committee at foreign ministers level on 16 May 2021. He assured the Saudi foreign minister of Pakistan’s unequivocal support for the just cause of Palestine.

Expressing gratitude for the warm Saudi hospitality during the Prime Minister’s recently concluded visit, EM Qureshi apprised his counterpart of the post-visit telephone call between Prime Minister Imran Khan and the custodian of the two holy mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, during which the two leaders also conferred on the serious situation in Palestine and the need for urgent steps to address it.

The two foreign ministers agreed to continue close consultations and coordination on the evolving situation in Palestine.