PM Shehbaz reiterates support for the Palestinian people’s just struggle

PM Shehbaz reiterates support for the Palestinian people's just struggle

On Saturday, Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the legitimate Palestinian struggle.

The Premier, in a post on his X handle, claimed that he applauded the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling to force Israel to cease its assault on Rafah during a phone discussion with Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris yesterday.

Shebhbaz praised Ireland’s recent decision to recognize the state of Palestine, saying it will not only help the cause of Palestine and inspire other nations to do the same, but it will also send a message of hope and solidarity to the innocent Palestinians suffering at the hands of Israel’s brutal atrocities.

The prime minister emphasized that Kashmiris had been subjected to cruel occupation and denial of basic human rights for the past 70 years, and he expressed the hope that the international world would pay equal attention to their plight.

Harris stated that Ireland could no longer justify the level of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and that it had made a principled decision after consulting with other European allies.

He said that Ireland believed the move was essential to encourage normality in the occupied territories.

Additionally, PM Shehbaz congratulated South Africa for submitting the petition and praised the bravery of the 13 ICJ judges who reached the ruling.

With a historic decision that is expected to heighten international pressure for a ceasefire more than seven months into the conflict that was launched by Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, the top UN court yesterday ordered Israel to cease military operations in Rafah.

Israel was also ordered to maintain the Rafah gate open between Egypt and Gaza by the Hague-based court, whose rulings are legally binding but do not have direct enforcement procedures. Israel had blocked the passage earlier this month when it began its attack on the city.

The directives precede two different talks on the Gaza crisis that will take place in Paris later on Friday. The CIA head and Israeli representatives will discuss one issue, and French President Emmanuel Macron and the foreign ministers of four significant Arab states will discuss another.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to immediately cease its military operations and any other actions in the Rafah governorate that could subject the Palestinian people in Gaza to living conditions that could result in their bodily destruction in whole or in part. This decision was highly anticipated.

The UN court further stated that Israel must continue to allow unrestricted access to humanitarian aid and basic amenities that are urgently needed.

The court added that it is extremely concerning that so many of these hostages are still being held captive and that it is calling for their immediate and complete release.

Israel, which maintained that the court had made a mistake, showed no signs of planning to reverse its position in Rafah.