Earlier this month, Netanyahu openly admitted in an i24NEWS interview that he “absolutely” believed in a vision for Greater Israel, confidently adding, “If you ask me what I think, we’re there.” The remarks stunned observers and triggered immediate condemnation worldwide, including from Pakistan.
Tensions escalated further when Israel’s defence minister recently approved a plan to capture Gaza City. At the same time, Tel Aviv advanced another controversial decision – authorising construction of a new settlement that would effectively cut off the occupied West Bank from East Jerusalem.
Speaking at an extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Dar launched a blistering critique of Israel. He accused Tel Aviv of displaying “characteristic sordid insensitivity to international norms” while making “highly provocative and unwarranted statements” that reveal its “growing disdain and absolute contempt” for the established world order.
“The brazen audacity of the so-called Israeli cabinet, in unveiling its ominous plan to extend Israel’s full military control over Gaza, as well as the Israeli prime minister’s recent allusion to the creation of a ‘Greater Israel’, provides an insight into Israel’s annexationist and rogue mindset.”
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Pakistan strongly condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, stating that they call for action that would aggravate the already dire humanitarian situation and undermine efforts for peace in the Gaza Strip.
“We joined the statement issued by the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, along with other countries, in expressing strong condemnation and categorical rejection of the Israeli announcement, denouncing it as an unacceptable escalation and a brazen attempt to entrench illegal occupation by coercion,” he said.
Pakistan also fully endorsed and joined the statement issued by 31 Arab-Islamic countries and the secretaries general of the OIC, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, condemning Netanyahu’s comments about “Greater Israel”.
“His (Netanyahu’s) statement constitutes a direct threat to Arab national security, to the sovereignty of states, and to regional and international peace and security,” Dar stated.
“The root cause of this ongoing tragedy is Israel’s prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. As long as this occupation endures, peace will remain elusive,” Dar said, quoting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “We fully stand by our brotherly Arab states in safeguarding their sovereignty against threats to their independence and territorial integrity.”
Dar’s fiery statement is a clear indication that Pakistan sees Israel’s latest rhetoric and military moves as not only destabilising Palestine but also endangering wider regional stability. Netanyahu’s insistence on a “Greater Israel” has amplified fears that the conflict could spread, drawing in more states and possibly triggering another wave of violence in the Middle East.
The approval of new settlements and plans for Gaza City’s conquest underline Israel’s defiance of international criticism. For the Muslim world, voiced strongly at the OIC meeting, this could mark a turning point in how nations coordinate to counter Tel Aviv’s agenda. Whether symbolic condemnation transforms into collective action, however, remains to be seen.
