What happened

According to Dawn, Pakistan strongly condemned Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabian civilian and economic infrastructure during a United Nations Security Council debate on the Middle East. Pakistan's acting Permanent Representative, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia's security and right to self-defence, calling for an immediate end to the strikes. During the same session, diplomats from Pakistan, Palestine, and France raised major concerns regarding escalating violence, forced displacement, and settlement expansion in the West Bank and Gaza.

Key facts

  • Usman Jadoon urged an immediate end to Houthi strikes and backed UN peace efforts in Yemen, where fighting reignited in July following the collapse of a UN-brokered truce. Specific implementation deadlines are not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
  • Dawn reported that Saudi Arabia recently endured severe attacks, including a deadly strike on Riyadh's international airport.
  • Pakistan denounced Israeli settlement growth—specifically highlighting the E1 project—alongside land demolitions, forced displacement, and incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
  • Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital, calling for the implementation of Resolution 2803, the release of withheld Palestinian funds, and full support for UNRWA.
  • Palestinian Deputy Permanent Observer Majed Bamya reported that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem over three years, advocating for a unified Palestinian government and security authority.
  • France's ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont, also called for an end to settlement expansion and financial pressure on the Palestinian Authority.

Why it matters

According to Dawn, ongoing hostilities in the Middle East continue to destabilize energy markets and endanger civilian lives. In Yemen, renewed conflict has exacerbated what the UN regards as one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Meanwhile, ceasefire violations, winter weather conditions, and expanding settlement projects threaten to destroy the foundation for a durable two-state peace framework between Israel and Palestine.

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Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 16, 2026 · Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash