NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi on Wednesday called for an independent inquiry into Israeli “state terrorism” in Gaza.
“I raised the issue of the massacre of Palestinians due to Israeli state terrorism in Gaza,” Lodhi said while speaking to the media after her address at the UN General Assembly during the Sixth Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
“Pakistan condemns the massacre of Palestinians and calls on the United Nations to conduct an independent investigation into the tactics used by Israeli forces,” Lodhi added.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN further said, “Israel is already an occupying power and peace has not been restored in the Middle East because of it.”
“No condemnation is enough of the brutal massacre of women and children by Israeli forces,” she added.
Lodhi continued, “Notice should be taken of countries such as Israel which resort to state terrorism.”
“When reviewing UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy we should also take into account foreign occupations,” she said.
“Foreign occupation is a big factor in violent extremism,” Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN urged.
“Due to foreign occupations violence increases not only in the region but also other areas,” she continued.
Stressing the need to address internal and external factors leading to violence in different regions, Lodhi further said, “Unresolved political disputes such as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir also need to be incorporated in UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy as both internal and external factors lead to violence.”
“There is a need for a strategy to address the causes of violent extremism,” she stressed.
The ambassador further said a comprehensive preventive approach is not possible without assessing the root causes for violent extremism.
Lodhi further said, “Pakistan always condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism whether state, group or individual.”
Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Monday when the high-profile opening of the US embassy to Israel in Jerusalem raised the tension to boiling point after weeks of demonstrations.
In the bloodiest single day for Palestinians since 2014, Palestinian Health Ministry officials said 60 protesters were killed and 2,700 injured either by live gunfire, tear gas or other means.
