Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ Amidst the escalating Arab-Israeli conflict, the nations of the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have reaffirmed their support for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the borders predating the events of 1967. The Maldives government, in an official statement, underscored its unwavering stance that a lasting peace in the Middle East necessitates a two-state solution, anchored in the boundaries existing before 1967, with East Jerusalem serving as the capital of Palestine.
Additionally, it called for the full implementation of Security Council resolutions that have unequivocally declared the occupation of Palestine and the annexation of Jerusalem as null and void. These territories encompassed East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, occupied by Israel following the 1967 war. Meanwhile, the interim government of Afghanistan attributed the recent escalation in the 75-year-old conflict to Israeli violations of Palestinian rights and called upon the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to provide assistance to the Palestinian cause.
Sri Lanka, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed its commitment to endorsing a negotiated settlement that aligns with internationally accepted parameters, envisioning two coexisting states along the lines of the 1967 borders. According to the statement from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Sri Lanka remains committed to supporting a negotiated settlement in line with the internationally agreed parameters of two states living side by side on the basis of the 1967 borders”.
Pakistan, in its official statement, called upon the global community to unite in efforts to quell hostilities and achieve durable peace in the Middle East. The nation emphasized the need for a viable, sovereign, and contiguous state of Palestine, founded upon the pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.
These countries have expressed deep concern over the mounting violence that claimed the lives of numerous individuals in both Israel and Palestine on a particularly harrowing Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mobilized his forces for warfare, issuing threats to transform Gaza, which has endured an Israeli blockade for 16 years, into a deserted island in response to attacks launched by Palestinian fighters within the Jewish state.
