ISLAMABAD:
Foreign Ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are scheduled to convene in Jeddah this week for an extraordinary session to address the escalating situation in the Middle East and formulate a unified response following US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar will represent Pakistan at the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), set to take place on March 7 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The high-level meeting will gather foreign ministers and senior officials from OIC member states to deliberate on collective measures in light of the worsening conditions in Palestine, including ongoing Israeli aggression, violations of Palestinian rights, and calls for their displacement.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Foreign Office emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. “As a staunch advocate for Palestine, Pakistan has consistently raised this issue on various international platforms,” the statement read.
During the OIC-CFM session, Senator Ishaq Dar is expected to reaffirm Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to the Palestinian cause and articulate its principled stance. He will call for Israel’s complete withdrawal from all occupied territories, including Jerusalem, condemn proposals to displace Palestinians further, and advocate for the restoration of their inalienable rights. These rights include the right to return to their homeland and the establishment of an independent, contiguous, and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
On the sidelines of the OIC-CFM, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister is also expected to engage in bilateral discussions with counterparts from key OIC member states.
Ahead of the OIC meeting, Arab leaders gathered in Cairo on Tuesday to address the Palestinian issue and respond to President Trump’s controversial proposal regarding Gaza. According to reports, Arab leaders are expected to endorse an Egyptian plan involving a $53 billion investment to rebuild Gaza without relocating its Palestinian population, as suggested by Trump.
The Egyptian proposal, as reported by The New York Times, also recommends establishing a committee of technocrats and independent figures to oversee Gaza for an initial six-month period, excluding Hamas-affiliated individuals.
The Arab summit was convened in response to Trump’s proposal last month, which called for expelling Palestinians from Gaza, relocating them to Egypt and Jordan, and transforming the territory into a tourism hub. This proposal has been widely criticized as akin to ethnic cleansing and has been rejected by much of the international community.
Egypt, Jordan, and other US allies in the Arab world have strongly opposed the plan, warning that it would undermine the prospects of a Palestinian state and destabilize the region. Although Trump recently appeared to soften his stance, stating that he was “not forcing” his Gaza plan on anyone, concerns remain high across the Arab world.
Adding to these concerns is the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which has temporarily halted violence for six weeks and facilitated the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages. The situation remains precarious, with fears of renewed hostilities looming.
