Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on Tuesday called for an immediate end to Israel's "brutal siege" of the Gaza Strip and provision of essential goods in occupied Palestinian territories.
"The closure by Israel of the Gaza crossing points, cutting off delivery of humanitarian assistance, the fuel and electricity supplies, and other essential medical and relief items is entirely unacceptable," acting Pakistan Permanent Representative, Farrukh Amil told the Security Council.
"Nothing can justify this kind of behaviour and unlawful actions by Israel," he said as the 15-member council met in an emergency session to mull Israel's lockdown of the Gaza Strip.
In the wake of high hopes for peace rekindled by the Annapolis Conference on the Middle East, he said the international community was once again faced with the spiralling violence and a further deterioration of an already fragile humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
The acting Pakistan permanent representative said that the escalation by Israel, coming on the heels of its decision, right after Annapolis, to press ahead with construction of new settlements and the unabated construction of the illegal separation wall, was a serious blow to confidence-building and good faith.
The (OIC) called for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, which required complete withdrawal from occupied territories, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and sovereignty over their independent and viable State of Palestine.