AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Addressing the Security Council, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories continues to deteriorate, with ongoing violations of international law and human rights. He noted that several members of the Security Council had also expressed deep concern over the current situation and called for greater accountability.
The Pakistani envoy said Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank has continued at an accelerated pace, while incidents of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have reached unprecedented levels.
Ambassador Iftikhar argued that the E1 settlement project would undermine the geographical contiguity of Palestinian territory and further weaken prospects for a negotiated two-state solution. Referring to the UN Secretary-General's latest report, he said the approval of 4,750 new housing units in the occupied Palestinian territories represents a deeply concerning development that runs counter to international efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace.
He also voiced concern over restrictions on the Palestinian Authority's financial resources, saying such measures weaken Palestinian institutions and risk undermining the functioning of its governing structures.
The E1 plan, approved by Israel last year, includes the construction of 3,401 housing units for Israeli settlers in the area between the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Critics argue that the project would further fragment Palestinian territory and significantly reduce the feasibility of a contiguous Palestinian state under a future two-state agreement.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories violates international law and has called for renewed international efforts to advance a peaceful resolution based on the two-state framework.
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