As Gazans bleed, the Muslim world is once again mulling a strategy to make its presence felt. The 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) in Jeddah was, at least, forthcoming in taking a stance and denunciating plans of a Greater Israel in the Middle East. To what extent the divisive and muscle-less comity of 57 states shall be heard by the West and the genocide-mongering Zionist regime is anybody’s guess; but the Muslim bloc was quite vocal and retributive in pronouncing a stance that will surely reverberate in the constituencies of peace worldwide.
Pakistan once again led from the front as it flagged the risks involved for the region. Islamabad reiterated standing fast with the stateless Palestinians, as well the Arab countries, for their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was quite apt as he mentioned the yesteryear tragedy of Nakba, and called for making efforts to prevent a repeat of it in the dilapidated and blood-soaked enclave of Gaza.
It is current history that the Jewish state has exterminated more than 60,000 Gazans, and shunted a million more into the desolate south. This making of a genocide is unfortunately being ignored by the civilised world, and the perpetuator is being pampered for vested reasons of realpolitik. The 12-day Iran-Israel war and the security chaos prevalent in the Mideast and beyond is a testimony of the Israel-US arrogance at the cost of civility and global peace.
Pakistan’s seven-point formula, nonetheless, is the way to go. It calls for an immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire; humanitarian access to the besieged territories; end to forced displacement and illegal settlements; instant reconstruction of Gaza; revival of a political process for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds as its capital; and accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity. None can dispute its exigency, as well as indispensability, as the world is being pushed to the verge of a catastrophe by Israel.
