ISLAMABAD: Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Rawhi Fatooh on Wednesday urged the international community to end the Israeli occupation and recognise a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), Fatooh praised Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in ceasefire mediation and reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s resolve to pursue freedom and dignity despite two years of continuous conflict and devastation in Gaza.
He described the scale of the humanitarian crisis, citing over 250,000 casualties, extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, and millions of Palestinians in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Calling for adherence to international law, he urged world leaders to hold perpetrators accountable, condemn settlement expansion and settler violence, and stop systemic oppression in the West Bank. “Sustainable peace cannot exist without justice and respect for international law,” he said, urging parliaments worldwide to stand with Palestine in defending human rights and securing self-determination.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s First Deputy Speaker of the House of the People, Sa’dia Yasin Haji Samatar, called for stronger inter-parliamentary cooperation to tackle shared global challenges — from climate change and poverty to security and technological disruption.
She said parliaments must act as “guardians of accountability and engines of progress,” advocating institutional reforms that promote transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness. “Collaboration and exchange of best practices among parliaments are key to building stability and empowering citizens,” she noted.
Participating in the general debate, Dr. Muhammad Taha Al-Ahmed, Chairman of Syria’s Supreme Elections Commission, underlined the pivotal role of parliaments in consolidating peace, security, and development.
He described parliaments as the “voice of human conscience,” built upon three pillars: legislation ensuring justice and equality, oversight preserving integrity and transparency, and representation giving voice to every segment of society.
“True security comes from participation and justice — not force,” Dr. Al-Ahmed said, adding that Syria’s post-conflict recovery reflected the power of dialogue and inclusion. “Peace begins with recognition of others and shared efforts to build societies that embrace all citizens,” he concluded.
