ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers from eight key members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace – Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – delivered a pointed rebuke to Israel on Thursday, condemning the Israeli occupying power’s enactment of a law in its Parliament (Knesset), that allows the imposition of the death penalty in the occupied West Bank and its de facto application against Palestinians.
The joint statement, issued from Pakistan’s capital, pulls no punches.
The Ministers warned against the increasingly discriminatory, escalating Israeli practices that entrench a system of apartheid and a rejectionist discourse that denies the inalienable rights and the very existence of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
The Ministers underscored that this legislation constitutes a dangerous escalation, particularly given its discriminatory application against Palestinian prisoners, and stressed that such measures risk further exacerbating tensions and undermining regional stability.
The Ministers also expressed deep concern over the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention, warning of mounting risks amid credible reports of ongoing abuses, including torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, starvation, and the denial of basic rights. They emphasized that these practices reflect a broader pattern of violations against the Palestinian people.
The Ministers reaffirmed their opposition to Israel’s racially discriminatory, oppressive, and aggressive policies targeting Palestinians.
The Ministers further emphasized the urgent need to refrain from measures imposed by the occupying power that risk further inflaming tensions on the ground. They stressed the importance of ensuring accountability and called for strengthened international efforts to uphold stability and prevent further deterioration.
Diplomats point out that all eight signatories – confirmed participants in the Board of Peace launched earlier this year – are leveraging their platform to press for change, despite varying national interests. From Ankara’s assertive posture to Riyadh’s economic clout and Abu Dhabi’s mediation savvy, this Islamabad communiqué signals the board’s evolving muscle in Middle East diplomacy.
