Ishaq Dar Urges OIC to Step Up Diplomatic Efforts Over Palestine
Pakistan’s deputy prime minister calls for action on settler violence, settlement expansion and the fragile Gaza ceasefire during an OIC meeting in New York.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar addresses an OIC meeting on Palestine in New York.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for renewed international attention to developments in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Speaking at a meeting of the OIC Committee of Six on Palestine in New York, Dar highlighted Israeli settlement activity and settler violence in the occupied West Bank. He also raised concerns over reported violations of the Gaza ceasefire.
Dar described the developments as violations of international law. He said the Palestinian issue remained central to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and its member states.
“The Committee of Six has an important responsibility to mobilise political and diplomatic support for the Palestinian people,” Dar said.
He also called for continued international attention to what he described as the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Dar Calls for Coordinated Diplomatic Action
Dar said conditions in Gaza and the West Bank required urgent attention. He described the humanitarian situation as dire and the security environment as fragile.
He also welcomed diplomatic efforts by mediating countries, including the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye.
According to Dar, the OIC committee should continue coordinated diplomatic efforts. He outlined several areas for action.
These included protecting the existing status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. He also called for opposition to settlement expansion, annexation and forced displacement in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Dar further urged support for the implementation of the Gaza peace plan and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Focus on Gaza Governance and Accountability
Dar said reconstruction and governance arrangements in Gaza should remain Palestinian-led.
He also called for a central role for the Palestinian Authority in future governance arrangements.
In addition, Pakistan supports accountability for alleged violations of international humanitarian and international law, Dar said.
He urged OIC members to strengthen coordination at international forums.
Dar also reiterated Pakistan’s support for a political process leading to an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
He said Pakistan would continue working with other countries to support a political settlement of the Palestinian issue.
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UN Reports Rising Settler Attacks
The remarks came amid continued reports of settler violence and displacement in the occupied West Bank.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 1,600 settler attacks resulting in casualties, property damage or both had been recorded across 275 Palestinian communities by September 14, 2026.
OCHA said the attacks were averaging about 6.7 incidents per day. It also reported that more than 2,600 Palestinians had been displaced in 2026 in the context of settler violence and related access restrictions.
The UN agency said settler attacks had affected nearly as many communities in the first eight and a half months of 2026 as during the whole of 2025. It described the attacks and related restrictions as a major driver of displacement in the West Bank.
Dar Meets Libyan Foreign Minister
Separately, Dar met Libya’s acting Foreign Minister Al-Taher Al-Baour on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
The two officials discussed ways to strengthen Pakistan-Libya relations. Their discussions included trade, education and business-to-business cooperation.
They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, including the situation in the Middle East.
According to Pakistan’s state broadcaster, Al-Baour appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts concerning regional peace and stability. Dar said dialogue and diplomacy remained the viable means of addressing regional challenges.
He also stressed the importance of returning to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as part of efforts to advance regional stability.
