UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan on Tuesday warned that illegal Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has reached unprecedented levels, accusing Israel of failing to meet its legal obligations as an occupying power and calling for an immediate halt to illegal settlement expansion.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said recent Israeli attacks against Palestinians marked a dangerous escalation and required urgent international attention.
‘Organised and coordinated attacks’
“In recent weeks, settler violence has reached its highest level since the United Nations began systematic tracking of this aspect,” Ambassador Ahmad told the Council.
“What we are witnessing is no longer a matter of isolated incidents, but organised, coordinated attacks against the Palestinian population,” he said.
He added that such actions were “a direct consequence of an occupation system allowed to operate with impunity” and warned that Israeli actions violated international law, undermined peace efforts and jeopardised prospects for a just and lasting settlement.
The Pakistani envoy highlighted the worsening humanitarian situation, particularly in Gaza, where he said more than 71,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — had been killed over the past two years in the Israeli military offensive.
He also pointed to rising Israeli violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where over 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in recent years.
Citing a recent incident, the Pakistani envoy said a Palestinian family was killed on March 15 in the town of Tammun when their vehicle came under Israeli fire. The victims included a couple and their two young sons, while two other children were injured.
He said the incident was followed by a wave of Israeli attacks across the West Bank, with masked groups setting homes and mosques on fire, destroying vehicles and injuring dozens of civilians.
Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad,
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the UNSC Briefing on the Middle East (SCR 2334)
(24th March 2026)
**********We thank Deputy Special Coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov and Mr. Nikolay Mladinov, High Representative for… pic.twitter.com/STgIHqBHTb
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) March 24, 2026
Israel’s obligations under international law
“As the occupying power, Israel bears legal obligation under international law to protect Palestinian civilians,” Ambassador Ahmad said. “That obligation is being violated with impunity.”
Pakistan called for full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2334, including an immediate halt to Israeli settlement activity.
It also urged an end to organised Israeli settler violence and said any attempt to alter the demographic, legal or historical character of occupied Palestinian territories was illegal.
Pakistan further pressed for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, including a sustained ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and large-scale aid delivery.
Ambassador Ahmad stressed the importance of reconstruction efforts in Gaza, while calling for assurances against annexation, forced displacement or fragmentation of Palestinian territories.
He also underlined the central role of the Palestinian Authority in any political and humanitarian process.
Accountability and political solution
Pakistan emphasised the need for accountability, saying those responsible for violence against Palestinian civilians, including Israeli settler attacks, must be brought to justice.
The Pakistani envoy reiterated support for a time-bound political process leading to the creation of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
“Without justice and respect for international law, lasting peace cannot be achieved,” Ahmad said.
The envoy warned that the Middle East was becoming increasingly unstable, with a growing risk of regional spillover and wider confrontation.
He noted that despite multiple crises, the unresolved Palestinian issue remained central to regional tensions, fuelling grievances and undermining peace efforts.
“The region stands at a critical juncture,” he said, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation.
Pakistan, he added, would continue to work with international partners to promote dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
