Pakistan has emphatically stated that enduring peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved through the normalization of occupation.

This assertion was made by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, during a highstakes discussion at the Security Council’s HighLevel Open Debate focusing on the Middle East’s pressing issues, particularly the Palestinian conflict.

Ambassador Ahmad underscored the significance of the upcoming June Conference, cohosted by France and Saudi Arabia, as a crucial platform to advance the twostate solution. He expressed optimism that this pivotal assembly would yield concrete results, including a clear timeline for Palestinian statehood, a halt and reversal of settlement expansion, actionable steps to safeguard civilians and sacred sites, and the full, equitable, and rightful integration of Palestine into the United Nations.

The ambassador’s remarks highlight Pakistan’s firm stance on the need for a comprehensive and just resolution in the Middle East, emphasizing that peace cannot coexist with an occupation that is accepted as normal.