Sherry Rehman welcomes UK, France’s move to recognise Palestine

ISLAMABAD: Vice President Pakistan Peoples Party and parliamentary leader of the PPP in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman, has welcomed the recent announcement by France and the United Kingdom to officially recognise the State of Palestine, calling it “a timely move that gives voice to the cries from Gaza that have shaken the global conscience”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ms Rehman said: “After months of unimaginable suffering, the world is finally beginning to acknowledge the scale of Israel’s assault on Gaza. The UK and France’s decision is not just symbolic, it is the first step toward justice, humanitarian accountability, and global peace.”

She added that the sounds of children crying from hunger, the images of devastated families, and the relentless targeting of civilians have moved the conscience of the international community. “More than 60,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have been martyred under Israel’s brutal bombardment. Gaza is not living; Gaza is dying. And it is dying in slow motion, while food and water are being turned into weapons of war,” she said.

Senator Rehman noted that following increased diplomatic pressure from France, the UK, and other countries, Israel has finally permitted limited humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza. She, however, emphasised that such half-measures were not enough. “We need a complete restoration of humanitarian assistance, not piecemeal access. What the people of Gaza need is not just sympathy, they need protection, food, medicine, and above all, freedom.”

Calling for a sustainable solution to the conflict, she reiterated that a two-state solution remains the only viable path to peace in the Middle East. “The international community must now go beyond condemnation and take concrete, coordinated, and immediate steps to enforce international humanitarian law.”

Sherry Rehman also demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire by Israel. “The war on Gaza must end. Aid corridors must open.” She concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people: “Pakistan has always stood shoulder to shoulder with its Palestinian brothers and sisters—and it always will. Our solidarity is rooted in history, justice, and humanity.”