Pakistan ‘strongly condemns’ Israeli airstrikes on Jenin

Islamabad on Tuesday strongly condemned the Israeli raids and airstrikes in Jenin city of occupied Palestinian territory and urged the “occupying power” to stop violence immediately.

“Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the raids and airstrikes carried out by the Israeli occupation forces since yesterday in Jenin in the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, which killed 10 Palestinians and injured some 50 others,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The FO said the latest episode of violence against the occupied people of Palestine by the “occupying power must end immediately”.

Islamabad called upon the international community to play its role “in bringing these brutal and illegal actions by the Israeli occupation forces to a halt and to ensure protection of the human rights of the Palestinian people”.

Pakistan reaffirmed its strong and unwavering support to the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people for the full realisation of their rights and freedoms – including the right to self-determination.

“We also renew our call for a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions,” the statement added.

The Jenin raid, launched early Monday under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government, employed hundreds of troops as well as drone strikes and army bulldozers that ripped up streets and crushed cars.

"In the last five years, this is the worst raid," said Qasem Benighader, a nurse at a local hospital morgue.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces were "destroying command centres and seizing considerable weaponry" in the crowded Jenin camp.

The Palestinian foreign ministry labelled the escalation "open war against the people of Jenin".