ISLAMABAD/NEW YORK – Pakistan delivered a strong condemnation of Israel’s recent airstrike in Doha during a heated United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debate, calling the attack “illegal, unprovoked, and a direct threat to regional stability.”
The emergency UNSC session, requested by Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia and backed by France and the UK, focused on the Middle East crisis following Israel’s strike in Qatar that targeted Hamas leaders. According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, the strike killed several affiliates and a Qatari security officer, escalating tensions amid delicate Gaza ceasefire talks.
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the attack was a “brazen violation of Qatar’s sovereignty” and an attempt to sabotage diplomacy. He highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent visit to Doha as proof of Islamabad’s support for Qatar’s security and peace efforts in the Middle East.
Israel’s envoy attempted to justify the strike by referencing the U.S. operation against Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, sparking a sharp rebuttal from Pakistan. Ahmad dismissed the comparison as “ludicrous” and accused Israel of “deflecting attention from its repeated violations of international law.”
Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani denounced the attack as a “violation of sovereignty” and warned it endangered ongoing peace negotiations. Other global powers, including France, China, and the UK, echoed concerns that Israel’s unilateral action could destabilize the region and derail ceasefire talks.
The UNSC collectively reaffirmed support for mediation, hostages’ release, and a political solution for the Gaza conflict, but the fiery exchanges revealed deep divisions among member states. Analysts say Pakistan’s firm stance reinforced its position as a defender of international law and Middle Eastern diplomacy.
For full details, visit authentic coverage from Al Jazeera and Reuters.
