Pakistan rejects ‘Greater Israel’ relocation plan

The United Nations Office for Human Rights has labeled Israel’s new settlement expansion plan in the West Bank as a violation of international law and a potential “war crime.” At the same time, Pakistan has condemned this plan and the so-called concept of a “Greater Israel.”

Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement on Friday that Israel’s statements and actions clearly violate international law, UN resolutions, and related agreements. He urged the international community to directly reject this provocative plan.

The reaction follows the announcement by Israel’s far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich, who revealed plans to start long-delayed settlement construction near East Jerusalem. If implemented, the plan would fragment the West Bank and effectively bury the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

According to international law, Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. The proposed project, covering approximately 12 square kilometers, would divide the West Bank into multiple isolated regions, posing a serious threat to Palestinians, the UN has said.

A report also notes that Israel and South Sudan have discussed a possible agreement to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to the African country, although Palestinian leaders have strongly condemned the idea as entirely unacceptable. South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier dismissed such reports as “baseless.”

Arab and international actors have also rejected the notion of relocating Gaza’s population to another country. Palestinians view this as another forced displacement, akin to the Nakba of 1948.

The UN Human Rights Office reported that since late May, at least 1,760 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed, most by Israeli forces. On Friday, Gaza’s Civil Defense stated that at least 23 people were killed in a recent Israeli attack, including 12 waiting for humanitarian aid. The Israeli military has announced that it is investigating the incident.