Pakistan slams illegal Israeli settlers' attacks in occupied West Bank, storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Pakistan on Tuesday slammed illegal Israeli settlers’ attacks in the occupied West Bank and the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling them a "blatant violation" of international law and relevant UN resolutions.

According to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, it is critical to ensure the sanctity of the holy sites in accordance with international law and historical norms.

"Pakistan calls upon the international community to take urgent and effective measures to ensure protection of the holy sites, prevent further settler violence and incursions, and uphold relevant UN resolutions," said the statement.

Over the last two days, the Israeli army has killed two Palestinian youth and injured several others in attacks in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. On Sunday, illegal Israeli settlers also vandalized four Palestinian vehicles by smashing their windows and slashing their tires in the town of Sinjel, north of Ramallah, in the central West Bank.

According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, illegal Israeli settlers have carried out more than 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023.

More than 1,073 Palestinians have since been killed, and 10,700 others were injured, Palestinian figures showed.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Last month, illegal Israeli settlers staged 27 intrusions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday dispatched the 25th consignment of relief goods for Gaza.

The 100-ton consignment, which includes essential non-food relief items, such as tents, tarpaulin sheets, and jerry cans, was dispatched through a chartered plane from Lahore airport to Egypt, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.