APC strongly condemns Israeli actions in Gaza, demands immediate ceasefire to end brutalities

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Political parties from across Pakistan came together on Monday at the All Parties Conference (APC) at the President House, and passed a forceful declaration condemning Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza and expressing unwavering support for the Palestinian people.

Representatives from all major political parties, reflecting a wide cross-section of Pakistani society, raised their voices in solidarity with Palestine, calling for an immediate ceasefire and urgent international action.

The APC was also attended by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The declaration issued at the end of the Conference said “We, the representatives of the political parties of Pakistan, representing a cross-section of Pakistani society, met today to express the following with one voice”.

The parties stated their deep concern at the continuing brutal aggression and genocide being committed by Israel against the Palestinians, despite repeated calls for ceasefire from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the international community.

Furthermore, the parties also expressed their profound alarm at the impunity with which Israel is expanding the war theatre and threatening regional peace and security, and its continued violations of international law and the UN Charter, including its recent aggression against Lebanon, attacks in the West Bank, the assassinations of leader of Hamas in Tehran and the Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which constitutes a threat to regional peace and security.

“We express our unwavering support for the inalienable right of the people of Palestine and Kashmir to self-determination; and for the relevant OIC and UN resolutions on Palestine that call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied Palestinian territories, and for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict,” the declaration added.

Recalling the resolution titled “Condemnation of Israeli oppression and Brutality against people of Palestine” adopted by the National Assembly of Pakistan in its session held on 2nd August 2024, as well as other relevant resolutions adopted by the Parliament of Pakistan, the All Parties Conference expressed its unequivocal condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Israel’s genocidal campaign that has resulted in the loss of over 42,000 lives, mostly women and children, as well as grievous injury to over 96,000 Palestinians, in addition to the widespread destruction and displacement of nearly the entire population of Gaza;

The APC also condemned Israeli attacks against schools, hospitals, places of worship, shelters and refugee camps and its killing of aid workers and journalists in unprecedented numbers and in complete violation of international humanitarian law;

It also demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and end to brutalities against the Palestinian people; lifting of the siege of Gaza; provision of unimpeded humanitarian, and medical aid; and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law, war crimes and acts of genocide;

The APC urged the international community to take urgent measures to prevent Israel from further undermining regional peace and stability, including the prevention of Israeli aggression against Lebanon and other regional countries.

In addition it also expressed full support for the ongoing political and diplomatic efforts by the OIC, the League of Arab States, the United Nations, and other brotherly countries in addressing the prevailing situation in Occupied Palestine, as well as for the peace and stability of the broader region.

It called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene an Emergency Summit to discuss the situation in Palestine, Israel’s brutal aggression in the region and its implications for regional peace and security and underscores the need for unity of the Islamic Ummah.

The APC called for full implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution ES-10/24 of 18 September 2024, which, inter alia, demands an end to Israeli occupation; the provisional measures by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that call for preventing Israel from committing further acts of genocide against the Palestinian people; as well as ICJ’s Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 that reaffirms the illegality of the Israeli occupation;

It also reecalled the Joint Communiqué of the Arab-Islamic summit of 11th of November 2023 that called for all countries to stop exporting weapons and ammunition to the Israeli occupation authorities;

Expressing its support to the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees (UNRWA) in providing relief to the Palestinian people, the APC affirmed Pakistan’s determination to redouble its efforts for all possible political, diplomatic, moral and humanitarian support for the brotherly people of Palestine.

APC apreciated the dispatch of 10 consignments of humanitarian aid from Pakistan for the people of Gaza, and medical relief assistance for the people of Lebanon; and urges continued humanitarian aid to the brotherly people of Palestine, including educational opportunities for Palestinian students and medical treatment of wounded Palestinian children in Pakistan;

It also declared unwavering support for the realization of the right to self-determination and other fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, as well as for the establishment of a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as well as for the State of Palestine’s full UN membership.

The Conference called on the government of Pakistan to continue extending political, diplomatic and humanitarian support to the brotherly people of Palestine and to support diplomatic efforts for bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza.

It also decided to observe, with special fervor, 29 November 2024 as a Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The APC strongly reaffirmed the right of the people of Kashmir to self-determination and call for the settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people and the relevant resolutions of UNSC.