US, West committing war crimes by backing Israel: senators

ISLAMABAD: Legislators in the Senate Tuesday warned that if the Israeli aggression against Palestinians continued, it would have global repercussions. They contended that by shielding and supporting Israel, the US and the Western capitals are committing war crimes and described the Western capitals as extreme right-wing citadels of fascism.

Taking part in the debate on the motion, Vice-President of Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman strongly condemned the Israeli aggression on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, deeming it state-sponsored terrorism and warning of its lasting impact on global politics.

“The actions taken by Israel in Gaza amounts to a form of state-sponsored terrorism, not terrorism by non-state actors. It is not a religious war it is something worse. It is the politics of clear, open oppression, and it is state-sponsored violence,” she said.

Senator Rehman stressed that the ongoing war in Gaza would continue, and its footprint would gradually spread elsewhere, leaving an indelible scar on global politics. “What is going on in Palestine, will not stay in Palestine,” she emphasized, clarifying that she did not advocate for the spread of violent terrorism or any form of terrorism, but when people are denied their right to life due to their ethnicity, such conflicts are likely to persist.

Sherry added that the world, even during the worst of wars, had never witnessed the forced evacuation of hospitals or the obstruction of humanitarian convoys to the extent that was currently unfolding in Gaza. She characterized the situation, where Palestinian children wounded during the Israeli airstrikes were undergoing amputations with only mild anesthesia, as hell on earth, stressing that it was a clear violation of the principles established in the Geneva Conventions.

Commenting on the atrocities unleashed on innocent Palestinians, especially children, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said, “When will we the shameless Muslims of this world stand up against oppression and suppression? Will it be the time when there are no more coffins of Palestinian children left to carry.” The trauma that the children had faced of relentless over 25 days of bombing and destruction, he noted, has psychologically affected this generation of Palestinians, while the world and in particular the Muslim leaders watched in silence. “This is a generation lost.”

Rabbani regretted that the US keeps upholding Israel’s rights to self-defence and under that pretext allows mass murder of civilians, children, the sick, and those with special needs.

“The OIC, the Arab League and Muslim capitals have played no role whatsoever. Those Muslim countries which have entered into diplomatic relations with Israel should have used their newfound influence to stop this genocide,” he said.

Taking part in the debate on the Palestine crisis, Quratulain Marri said that recently the United Nations held a vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which was supported by 120 members while 14 voted against it and 45 abstained from voting. And those who abstained, are reminded of South African leader Desmond Tutu, who said that ‘if you are neutral in a situation of injustice, then you have chosen the side of the oppressor’.” She asked the neutral countries to remove this guise of neutrality and oppose openly and see mass campaigns in their own countries against barbarism in Palestine.

Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed fully supported Palestine and condemned the ongoing Israeli barbarism on innocent people there. “For us, Palestine is a part of our DNA from day one; Quaid-e-Azam talked of Palestine even before the creation of Pakistan. Two resolutions were passed on March 23, 1940, one for the right to self-termination of the Muslims of the sub-continent and the other one for the right of self-determination of the people of Palestine.” He recalled that Pakistan was the only non-Arab country which had taken part in two Arab-Israel wars and Pakistani pilots had shot down Israeli aircraft.

Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi was the last speaker before the session was adjourned till Wednesday morning. He cautioned that if justice was not done, and the two-nation solution was not found, then the Zionist state regime would not survive. He emphasized that Pakistan’s principled position remained unchanged and the state and the government fully backed the people of Palestine in their just struggle. The minister said the entire nation was one and so was the Senate in raising its voice in favour of Palestinians. “Palestinians are not alone, today all the conscientious people across the globe are Palestinians,” he remarked.