Dar calls for coordinated OIC diplomatic action to support Palestine

Pakistan has called for renewed and coordinated diplomatic action by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its member states to protect the Palestinian people, safeguard holy sites in Jerusalem and advance efforts for a lasting political settlement of the Palestine issue.

Addressing the OIC Committee of Six on Palestine, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the Palestine cause remained central to the OIC and the collective consciousness of the Muslim Ummah. The OIC Committee of Six on Palestine convened in New York on September 21–22, 2026, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), to coordinate diplomatic efforts and strengthen collective support for the Palestinian cause.

He said the Committee of Six had an important responsibility to mobilise political and diplomatic support for Palestinians and ensure that the international community remained focused on their legitimate and inalienable rights.

Gaza ceasefire, West Bank situation

Dar said the meeting was taking place at a time when the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Gaza and the West Bank, continued to require urgent attention.

While recent diplomatic efforts had created an opportunity to advance a political process, he said serious challenges remained, with the humanitarian situation still dire and the security environment extremely fragile.

He said the ceasefire in Gaza was being violated almost daily, while Pakistan appreciated the efforts of mediating countries, including the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, to advance implementation of the comprehensive plan aimed at ending the Gaza conflict, as endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

Turning to the West Bank, Dar said Israel’s settlement activity, settler violence, annexationist policies and other violations, including in East Jerusalem, continued to threaten the territorial integrity and continuity of the occupied Palestinian territory.

According to Dar, such actions also undermined the viability of a future Palestinian state.

Pakistan condemns Al-Aqsa incursions

Dar strongly condemned continued Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including repeated incursions by Israeli settlers.

“These actions are a flagrant violation of international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the historical and legal status quo governing the holy sites,” he said.

He called for renewed diplomatic efforts by the OIC and its member states, saying the Committee of Six should continue to pursue a set of priority measures to address the situation.

These included safeguarding the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, while rejecting settlement expansion, annexation measures, settler violence and forced displacement in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.

Six priorities outlined

Dar also called for full and faithful implementation of the Gaza peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.

He said reconstruction and governance arrangements in Gaza should remain Palestinian-led, with a central role for the Palestinian Authority.

The Pakistani foreign minister further stressed the need to support accountability for violations of international law and international humanitarian law.

He also urged stronger coordination among OIC member states at the United Nations and other international forums to protect Palestinians and uphold international law.

Push for Palestinian statehood

Dar called for sustained international efforts towards what he described as a credible, irreversible and time-bound political process leading to the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state.

He said such a state should be established on the basis of pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, while Pakistan would also continue supporting Palestine’s full membership of the United Nations.

“As members of the OIC Committee of Six, we have a particular responsibility to translate our collective solidarity into sustained and coordinated diplomatic action,” Dar said.

He reiterated that Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people remained steadfast and unwavering, adding that Islamabad would continue working with “brotherly and partner countries” to advance the Palestinian cause and promote a just and lasting solution in line with international legitimacy.