Pakistan calls on Security Council to take urgent action for an end to Israeli violations
15 February, 2007
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| Pakistan calls on Security Council to take urgent action for an end to Israeli violations |
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UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan`s interest in the Middle East can be gauged from the fact that President Musharraf recently visited some Islamic countries to consult the leaders, on ways and means to address and overcome the Palestinian problem, the Israel-Syrian difficulties as well as the phenomenon of violent resistance to the injustices suffered by the Muslim world.
This was stated by Mr. Mr. Farukh Amil, Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) of Pakistan to UN, at the Security Council Open Debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question here on Wednesday.
Mr. Farukh Amil said that a core group of Muslim countries has been constituted to evolve a comprehensive approach to the multiple crises besieging the Middle East. The President of Pakistan, he said, had shared this new initiative with the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, where it has found general support and understanding.
Mr. Farukh Amil DPR expressed the hope that a group of leading Muslim countries will soon meet at a high-level to bring their collective weight to bear in favour of a just and fair solution to the Palestinian question and other problems afflicting the Middle East.
Mr. Farukh Amil DPR said that the Security Council has adopted 16 resolutions, in particular resolution 465 (1980), which repeatedly declared that measures and arrangements taken by Israel which aim at changing the legal status, demographic composition and character of the Holy City of Jerusalem -Al-Quds Al-Shareef - are null and void and without any legal validity what so ever. Expressing Pakistan`s support for the position taken by NAM and OIC, the DPR noted that the region has been thrown into despair by Israeli actions in and around Haram al Sharif compound . He said that Pakistan is distressed that already the historic road connecting the Bab-al-Maghariba with the Al-Aqsa Compound has been demolished, in addition to two rooms adjacent to the Al Buraq Wall. The excavation work undermines the foundations of Al-Aqsa and could threaten it with collapse.
The DPR said that Israeli actions undermine the efforts that the International Community is undertaking to resume the peace process. They also prejudice the final status negotiations by creating new realities on the ground.
Pakistan calls upon the Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities and to take urgent action to end the Israeli violations against the Al-Aqsa Masjid. "We also call on Israel to respect the Council`s resolutions and international law, particularly international humanitarian law and strongly urge the Israeli side to halt all work at the site and take all necessary precautions for the preservation of the Holy places", he said.
The Israeli-Palestine issue is at the heart of the multiple challenges that confront the Middle East. A comprehensive, just and lasting solution based on Security Council Resolutions, the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the Quartet`s Road Map is urgently needed, he emphasized.
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