Pakistan and thirteen other countries have strongly criticised recent remarks made by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee who suggested that Israel taking control of large parts of the Middle East would not be objectionable. The Foreign Office confirmed the joint response on Sunday.
Huckabee made the comments during an interview with former television host Tucker Carlson. While discussing Israel’s borders, he said they were based on biblical references. When Carlson mentioned that biblical descriptions extend from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the Nile River in Egypt, Huckabee replied that it would be acceptable if Israel controlled all of that territory.
The remarks drew immediate concern from several Muslim and Arab countries. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine expressed serious alarm. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council also supported the statement.
The countries rejected the comments calling them dangerous and against international law and the United Nations Charter. They warned that such statements could threaten regional peace and stability.
The joint declaration said the remarks contradicted efforts aimed at reducing tensions and supporting a political solution to the Gaza conflict including proposals linked to US diplomatic initiatives. The ministers stressed that peace efforts must focus on dialogue, tolerance and coexistence rather than territorial expansion.
The statement reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories or other occupied Arab lands. It also rejected any attempt to annex the West Bank or separate it from Gaza and opposed the continued expansion of Israeli settlements.
The participating countries warned that expansionist policies would increase violence and reduce chances for peace in the region. They called for an end to statements that could inflame tensions.
The ministers reiterated their support for the Palestinian people’s right to self determination and the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the borders of June 4, 1967 along with an end to the occupation of Arab lands.
Asian Burg news Desk