Pakistani diplomat urges Islamabad to avoid involvement in uncertain Gaza peace process.
Ms. Maleeha Lodhi, who served as Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2014 to 2019, explained in a note the dimensions of the US peace plan for Gaza and why Pakistan needed to withdraw from sending troops to Gaza.
She wrote: “Public questions and doubts are growing about the wisdom of Pakistan sending troops to join the International Stability Force (ISF) under the US President’s Gaza peace plan. The force is envisaged by the US as a multinational force led by an American general. The force is an important part of Trump’s plan, but its acceptance by Hamas is essential because without it, the countries that join it may find themselves in conflict with these Palestinian groups.”
The former Pakistani ambassador to the UK and the US said: The Islamabad government had earlier announced that it had informed Washington that it was considering sending troops to Gaza, but Pakistan’s non-participation in any action to disarm Hamas has also been clearly conveyed to the US side.
He added: “The command structure, budget, and powers of the International Stabilization Force are still unclear, and this, along with Washington and Tel Aviv’s efforts to disarm the Palestinian resistance forces, has caused many countries to hesitate in sending their forces.”
Emphasizing the strong inclination of the Pakistani people towards the issue of Palestinian liberation and support for Hamas fighters, Maleeha Lodhi warned that any decision contrary to the aspirations of the Pakistani people and contrary to the country’s principled and long-standing position that it will never recognize Israel will have dangerous consequences and a strong reaction at home.
He wrote: “In Gaza itself, the fragile ceasefire is violated daily by Israel, while Israel, amidst military operations in the occupied West Bank, issues permits for the construction of new settlements. Since the ceasefire was implemented in October, more than 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.”
The political commentator added, “Pakistan must make a decision. If our forces are to monitor Hamas, participation must be ruled out.” This would push the Pakistani expeditionary forces into confrontation with Hamas and other resistance groups, and any claim that Pakistani forces are there to protect Palestinians would be unacceptable.
He warned: The consequences of Pakistani soldiers engaging with Palestinians, regardless of their affiliations, would be dire, both in terms of principle and in terms of public reaction within the country.