- Advertisement -
By Iftikhar Ali
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 12 (APP):Pakistan hit back after Israel defended its Doha strikes, rejecting the sharp condemnation on Thursday by most members of the UN Security Council of its aggression against Qatar while asserting that the US action against Osama bin Laden had drawn no criticism.
“It is unacceptable, indeed, ludicrous, for an aggressor, an occupier, a serial violator of UN Charter and international law – that is Israel – to abuse this chamber and disrespect the sanctity of this Council,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said in his right of reply.
“BY pointing fingers on others, baseless assertions, primarily aimed at masking its own illegal actions and violations of international law”, he told the 15-member Council.
The exchange took in the Security Council’s debate on the situation in the Middle East, convened by Pakistan, Algeria and Somalia, under South Korean presidency.
In his defence of its “illegal and unprovoked” Qatar attack, Israeli Ambassador Danny Dannon remained defiant, saying, there was no sanctuary for terrorists, not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha. “There is no immunity for terrorists. History will not be kind to accomplices. Either Qatar condemns Hamas, expels Hamas and brings Hamas to justice, or Israel will,” he warned.
In a tough rebuttal, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said, “It (Israel) is an occupier that does not listen to anyone; that does not pay heed to any advice, even from its friends, if there are any left; that refutes, and not just refutes, it threatens members of the international community, international media, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, doesn’t listen to the ICJ or the ICC, and threatens the UN and its senior officials; and it does that with impunity.
“Shielded by its apologists, who time and again acquiesce in its illegal actions and defiance of the international community. And like all occupiers, despite being the aggressor, it feigns and plays the victim, but today, it is totally exposed.”
About the unrelated bin Laden incident and his misleading remarks regarding Pakistan, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said he did so in an effort to justify its own illegal actions and violations of international law. In fact, he rejected the false analogy.
“Pakistan’s position on that incident has been clearly stated and is publicly available,” the Pakistani envoy said, adding, “The international community is well aware of Pakistan’s frontline role and sacrifices in the international community’s fight against terrorism.
“The entire world, including our partners, acknowledges that Al Qaeda was largely decimated due to Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts. And we remained committed in this global, collective endeavor.
“That is, in fact, the perpetrator of the worst kind of state terrorism that we are witnessing in Gaza, and in fact, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for decades,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“For whatever way it interprets these statements in this Council, the occupying power must go back and read carefully the statement issued by the Security Council today.”
Earlier in his main statement, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that striking the territory of a principal mediator for a ceasefire and hostage deal, as well as those involved in negotiations, is a deliberate attempt to sabotage diplomacy, derail peace efforts and prolong civilian suffering.
“It is evident that Israel, the occupying Power, is determined to undermine and destroy every possibility of peace,” he said, questioning whether the return of hostages is truly a priority,” he said.
“Sadly, Israel has been emboldened by the Council’s weak response and inaction.”
Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani condemned Israel’s 9 September strike on a residential compound allocated for negotiating teams, which housed Hamas representatives and their families. The attack terrorized those who lived in the residential area, he said, calling it “a violation of the UN Member State’s sovereignty”.
“Israel – led by bloodthirsty extremists – has gone beyond any borders, any limitation when it comes to behaviour among States and individuals,” the Qatari premier stressed, asking: “Have you heard of any State that is attacking the mediator this way? A State that is attacking the negotiating teams that are hosted by Qatar?”
He criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu’s “shameful justification”, contrasting it with the Taliban’s political bureau in Doha, which enabled Washington, D.C. – Taliban talks that ended the war in Afghanistan.
“The United States has never targeted the negotiators,” he said. He warned that Israel is destabilizing the region and undermining any prospect for peace. “We call for peace, not war, and we will not be deterred by those who call for war and destruction,” he concluded.