Pakistan to attend consultative conference on Palestine in Tehran on Dec. 23

A picture taken from southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on December 21, 2023, shows smoke billowing amid the destruction in northern Gaza resulting from weeks of Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory amid ongoing battles with the Hamas militant group. (AFP)

• Foreign office spokesperson expresses concern over Israel’s “campaign of brutality” in Gaza
• Reiterates call for cease-fire in Gaza, rules out any possibility of Pakistan recognizing Israel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will attend a conference in Tehran on the ongoing situation in Palestine later this week, the foreign office spokesperson confirmed on Thursday, reiterating calls for Israel to be held accountable for its “crimes” in Gaza.
Iran is scheduled to hold a “Consultative Conference on Palestine” on December 23 in Tehran. The conference, which would be attended by representatives of several countries, would deliberate on the ongoing situation in Gaza.
Israel’s war in Gaza since October has killed at least 20,000 people, most of them children or women, according to the Hamas government. Tel Aviv says its bombing is in retaliation to a full-pronged attack launched by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel that took the Jewish state by surprise.
“We will continue to support international efforts to bring an end to Israel’s ongoing campaign against the Palestinian people,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters during a weekly press briefing.
“Pakistan will, therefore, participate in the ‘Consultative Conference on Palestine’ scheduled to take place in Tehran, on 23rd of December, 2023.”
She said Pakistan remains deeply concerned over Israel’s “campaign of brutality and large-scale massacre” against Palestinians.
“The crimes against humanity in occupied Palestine are a haunting stain on the conscience of humanity,” Baloch said. “Pakistan calls for holding Israel accountable for its actions and the UNSC to take immediate effective action to impose a cease-fire and lift the inhumane siege against Gaza.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, said last week her country would “absolutely” reject any possibility of a two-state solution after the war in Gaza ends.
Baloch said Pakistan is “deeply concerned” over such statements by Israeli officials that reject the creation of a Palestinian state.
“Such statements, especially the comments on the “Oslo Accords”, reflect the true intentions of the Israeli occupation authorities, their disregard for International law and commitments and rejection of a just resolution of the Palestinian question,” the spokesperson said.
In response to a question, Baloch ruled out any chance of Pakistan recognizing Israel.
“This proposal [of recognizing Israel] has not been on the agenda, is not on the agenda of any decision maker in Pakistan,” she said. “So, the question of recognizing Israel is not even a consideration.”