Top Pakistani, Afghan diplomats discuss situation in Palestine

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - The foreign ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday discussed the current situation in Palestine, an official statement said.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, Shah Mahmood Qureshi received a telephone call from his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar.

The two diplomats exchanged Eid greetings, discussed the Afghan peace process and exchanged views about the current situation in Palestine.

"Foreign Minister Qureshi condemned the indiscriminate use of force and attacks by Israeli forces in Al-Aqsa and Gaza, called for protection of civilians, and underscored the need for the international community to take urgent steps to address the grave situation in the occupied territories," read the statement.

Qureshi reaffirmed his country’s support and solidarity with the Palestinians, and for a just and lasting solution of the issue in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions and international legitimacy.

Ongoing Israeli attacks have killed over 120 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials.

Qureshi also welcomed the announcement of the three-day cease-fire in Afghanistan for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

The development came as a bomb ripped through a mosque in northern Kabul during Friday prayers, killing several worshippers, the latest in a surge in violence as foreign troops begin their final withdrawal from the war-torn country.