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Dar urges Arab-Islamic task force, calling Israel persistent ‘danger to world peace’

By Staff Report
  • Deputy PM calls Israeli strike on Qatar ‘reckless, appalling, and illegal,’ proposing Arab-Islamic task force to counter expansionist designs
  • Seeks UNSC action under Chapter VII for ceasefire and prisoner release, urging suspension of Israel’s UN membership, accountability for war crimes
  • Meets Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, and Bangladesh FMs; stresses unity of Ummah
  • Doha summit signals Arab-Islamic solidarity as 50+ OIC states convene

DOHA/ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday urged urgent collective action against Israel, calling for the “creation of an Arab-Islamic task force” to monitor its actions and “adopt deterrent and offensive measures” in a synchronised manner to “curb expansionist designs.”

“Frequency of regional consultations on Israel reflected how it had become “a persistent irritant and a danger to world peace and security,” FM Dar warned while addressing the ministerial meeting in Doha ahead of the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit, according to the Foreign Office.

Dar strongly condemned what he described as Israel’s “illegal and unprovoked aggression” against Qatar, referring to last week’s strikes on the Qatari capital that killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, a FO statement quoted the Deputy PM as saying.

He termed the attack a reckless violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in contravention of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force. “No state is safe from such an unhinged entity that defies all precepts of civilised behaviour,” Dar said, adding that the question of Israeli accountability was a test of the credibility of the global system.

The deputy prime minister stressed that Israel must be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity and that member states should consider additional punitive measures to deter further violations. He further urged the UN Security Council to invoke Chapter VII of the UN Charter to demand an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, as well as the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

He also called for unfettered humanitarian access in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the protection of aid workers, medical teams, and UN personnel. At the same time, he emphasised the revival of a genuine, time-bound political process leading to a two-state solution in line with international law and relevant UN and OIC resolutions.

The Doha summit, co-sponsored by Pakistan under the umbrella of the 57-member OIC, was convened in the wake of the Israeli strikes on Qatar and the intensifying crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. A draft resolution seen by Reuters condemned the attack as a destabilising escalation and opposed Israeli plans to “impose a new reality in the region.”

However, as of Sunday, the draft did not include concrete economic or diplomatic sanctions, though diplomats suggested changes could still be made before leaders met on Monday.

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the gathering was meant to show that “Qatar is not alone … and that Arab and Islamic states stand by it.”

Dar, who was received in Doha by Pakistan’s Ambassador Muhammad Aamer, the country’s envoy to the OIC, and senior Qatari officials, held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the foreign ministers’ session.

He met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan.

In each meeting, the leaders jointly condemned Israeli strikes on Qatar and other Muslim nations, terming them gross violations of sovereignty, international law, and the UN Charter, while reaffirming their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and stressing unity across the Muslim Ummah.

Dar also held a pull-aside meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, where both sides underscored the importance of Muslim unity at this critical juncture.

According to diplomats, more than 50 OIC member states are expected to participate in the Doha summit, where leaders may also consider pushing Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to join the high-level moot, which the FO described as a timely and urgent response to Israel’s airstrikes on Doha and its continued attempts to occupy Gaza, expand settlements in the West Bank, and forcibly displace Palestinians.

‘Matter of Grave Concern’

Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan earlier described repeated Israeli attacks on sovereign states in the region as “a matter of grave concern, not only for the Muslim Ummah but also for the wider international community.” Pakistan has been among the most vocal critics of Israel’s actions, most recently taking center stage in a heated exchange with Israeli representatives at a UN Security Council meeting.

Following Tuesday’s attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid a one-day solidarity visit to Doha, where he met Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to denounce Israel’s actions and express Pakistan’s support for Qatar.

Qatar, which plays a mediation role in the ongoing Gaza conflict alongside the US and Egypt, hosts the largest US military base in the region. Despite close ties with Washington, the attack has shaken diplomatic dynamics. For the first time in recent memory, the United States joined all 15 UNSC members in condemning Israel’s strike during an emergency meeting on Thursday. The US has historically blocked or vetoed such measures but refrained from doing so this time.

US President Donald Trump, while saying he was “very unhappy” about the Israeli attack, maintained high-level engagement with Qatar, hosting Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani for dinner in New York on Friday. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the strike “is not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis.”

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