Pakistan, Israel trade barbs at UNSC over attack in Doha

The Council must hold Israel accountable for ‘unprovoked aggression’ against Qatar: Ambassador Ahmad

Monitoring Desk
NEW YORK: Pakistan and Israel engaged in a heated debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday, with Islamabad condemning Tel Aviv’s recent attack in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders as “illegal, unprovoked, and a threat to regional stability”.
The sharp exchange took place at an emergency UNSC meeting convened under the agenda item ‘Situation in the Middle East’. The session had been requested by Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia and was supported by France and the United Kingdom.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, opened his address at the UNSC with a strong condemnation of Israel’s strike, calling it a “brazen and illegal assault” and a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty.
“The brazen and illegal assault is not an isolated incident, rather it is part of a broader and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that undermines regional peace and stability.”
He described the attack as a direct challenge to diplomacy, as it targeted Qatar at a time when delicate negotiations on a Gaza peace deal were reportedly progressing toward a possible breakthrough.
He urged the UNSC to move beyond mere condemnation of the Israeli strikes targeting Hamas negotiators and hold Israel accountable for its “illegal and unprovoked aggression” against Qatar.
Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Qatar, highlighting the recent visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Doha as a demonstration of Islamabad’s support for the security and sovereignty of the Gulf nation.
He condemned Israel’s attack as a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
For his part, Israel’s ambassador initially addressed the UNSC by invoking the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan to justify the strike in Doha.
“When bin Laden was eliminated in Pakistan, the question asked was not why target a terrorist on foreign soil. The question was why was a terrorist given shelter at all. The same question must be asked today. There’s no immunity for bin Laden and there can be no immunity for Hamas,” he said.
At that, Pakistan immediately exercised its right of reply with Ambassador Ahmad rejecting the analogy as “unacceptable, indeed ludicrous” and accusing Israel of attempting to deflect attention from its own “illegal actions and violations of international law“.
“It [Israel] is an occupier, a serial violator of the UN Charter and international law, that threatens the international community, humanitarian organisations, and even the United Nations itself — and does so with impunity,” Ahmad said. “Despite being the aggressor, it pretends to be the victim. But today, it stands fully exposed.”
Ahmad also emphasised Pakistan’s frontline role in counterterrorism.
Following Pakistan’s response, the Israeli ambassador returned to the floor, accusing Pakistan and others of applying double standards. “Maybe he was offended by my words and I apologise for that, but I make sure my speeches stick to facts. And the fact is Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and no one condemned the US for that. When other countries attack terrorists, no one condemns them either,” he said.
He added: “You cannot change the fact that 9/11 happened, and you cannot change the fact that Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan and was killed on your territory. When you criticise us — and I’m sure you will continue — think about the standards you apply to your country and the standards you apply to Israel.”