Pakistan urges UN to hold Israel accountable for war crimes in Gaza

UNITED NATIONS: Denouncing Israel’s relentless attacks on the Palestinian people and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, Pakistan has called for holding the Israeli occupation forces accountable for war crimes in the besieged enclave.

“We strongly and unequivocally condemn the indiscriminate use of force by Israel,” Ambassador Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon, acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations told the UN General Assembly on Friday.

Speaking in a debate on “Humanitarian Assistance”, he said that in addition to targeting civilians, Israel’s other actions such as blockading of essential humanitarian supplies; 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 and may amount to the crime of genocide.”

Meanwhile, a short distance away from the UN Headquarters in New York City, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets for what was billed as a “Shut Down Wall Street” event, just as the United States vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council calling for a humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Protesters rallied in front of a number of prominent city landmarks in Lower Manhattan, including City Hall and Wall Street, chanting, “Free Palestine,” calling for an end to the United States’ financial support of Israel and denouncing the U.S. veto.

Waving Palestinian flags, the protestors condemned Biden administration’s Middle East policy and called for an immediate ceasefire.

At the General Assembly, the Pakistani envoy also voiced grave concern at the killing and injuring of staff of UN Agencies and Entities, humanitarian workers and healthcare workers by Israel, saying never before so many of its brave personnel have lost their lives in such a short span of time.

“This deserves our collective condemnation and a collective demand for holding Israeli occupation forces accountable,” Ambassador Jdoon added.

In another action, the 193-Assembly adopted a resolution, introduced by Belgium, that stressed the need for a durable ceasefire agreement leading to a fundamental improvement in the living conditions of the Palestinian people in Gaza and ensure the safety and well-being of civilians on both sides.

The text also stressed the urgency of reaching a durable solution to the crisis in Gaza through the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions.

Speaking during the general debate, an Observer for the State of Palestine, Feda Abdelhady-Nasser, said her entire nation faces annihilation.

“There are no words to describe the unfathomable horrors and extent of human suffering in the Gaza Strip,” she said, noting that over 17,000 people have been killed.

“These are not just numbers, but people with names, families, stories and dreams.” What is happening stains the world’s collective conscience, the Palestinian diplomat said.

Turning to climate-change-induced disasters, the Pakistani envoy said, “We are sleepwalking toward a climate-change-induced chaos”. Pakistan, he said, suffers disproportionately from such disasters.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was instrumental in the creation of Pakistan’s recovery plan following the devastating flooding last year, Ambassador Jadoon said, voicing concern that the Office is underfunded.

Unprecedented global humanitarian challenges require political will to address root causes, whether they be from conflicts or climate-change related, the Pakistani envoy said.

Further, he said, zero tolerance must be allowed for the violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, including in occupied territories.

The international community must demonstrate solidarity and burden sharing by addressing causes of multidimensional poverty, he said, adding humanitarian crises must be addressed to ensure the well-being of all.

“The clock is ticking and the time to act is now,” Ambassador Jadoon said.