In recent editorials, Pakistani dailies warned that Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, and possible future strikes in Iran, will lead to a wider war in which many Muslim countries might join.
An editorial titled "Iran's Attack On Israel" in the Pashtu-language daily Worazpanra Wahdat read: "If the major powers and responsible nations such as the United States, China, and Russia do not take action to stop Israel's ongoing atrocities in the region, there is concern that other Muslim countries may retaliate, potentially turning the entire region into a battlefield."
In an editorial titled "Israel's War," The News daily noted that countries like Pakistan, which recently obtained an IMF loan to stabilize its economy, might be destabilized, adding: "Commercial ships in the region have already been caught in the crossfire between the Israel-U.S. axis and the Houthis and with missiles flying across the region with more regularity, anyone in the region seeking a stable climate for their economy and overall conditions is in trouble..."
The Urdu daily Roznama Jasarat, which is published by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, said in an editorial titled "The Dire Situation In Gaza" that Israeli has not been able to establish its occupation on Palestine. "The prime minister of Israel and the head of his army were arrogant that, we would wipe out the remaining mujahideen of Hamas with our military might; and after that, the war will also stop, our occupation and domination will be established over the rest of Palestine as well, but this could not happen," it added.
A screenshot of the editorial in Pashtu newspaper Worazpanra Wahdat
Following is the text of the editorial, as translated from Pashtu:[1]
"The Most Appropriate And Effective Way To Stop The Violence Is By Halting Israeli Aggression And Establishing A Permanent Ceasefire"
"In response to the martyrdom of Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, sending a clear message to the Israel that they will not remain silent in the face of ongoing cruelties in the region.
"The missile attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard targeted three military bases in Tel Aviv. Sirens blared across Israel, and Israelis sought shelter in bunkers. Reports indicate that only two people suffered minor injuries. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that next attacks will be even more painful. Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that by attacking Israel, Iran has made a significant mistake and will have to pay the price.
"The wave of Israel's oppression of Palestinians has continued for a long time. The Hamas attack under Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against Israel in October last year killed up to 1,200 people, with Hamas capturing hundreds of Israelis. In response, Israel launched a massive ground and air campaign in Gaza, killing over 41,000 Palestinians, including women and children, and injuring hundreds of thousands more.
"During these brutal Israeli operations, Palestinian refugee camps, schools, hospitals, ambulances, and innocent, unarmed Palestinians standing in aid queues were targeted. Israel's aggressive operations were not limited to Gaza, as it also launched attacks on Lebanon. According to media reports, Israeli ground forces have entered Lebanon as well. Similarly, in its war frenzy, Israel has also carried out attacks in Syria, following its recent strikes in Yemen. In its war madness, Israel has disregarded both international justice and UN Security Council resolutions.
"On July 31 of this year, Israel martyred Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and last week, it also martyred Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. If major powers and responsible nations such as the United States, China, and Russia do not take action to stop Israel's ongoing atrocities in the region, there is concern that other Muslim countries may retaliate, potentially turning the entire region into a battlefield and posing a severe threat to global peace.
"The most appropriate and effective way to stop the violence is by halting Israeli aggression and establishing a permanent ceasefire. Therefore, the international community must no longer remain silent and should take responsible action to address this situation."
Following are excerpts from The News editorial, originally in English:[2]
"Anyone In The Region Seeking A Stable Climate For Their Economy And Overall Conditions Is In Trouble; This Includes Pakistan, Which Has Only Just Secured An IMF Bailout Package And Is Highly Dependent On A Stable External Climate"
"Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza has already resulted in the occupied Palestinian territories enveloped in wanton violence, assassinations in Syria and Iran, Lebanon being bombed and invaded, and ships being targeted in the Red Sea. Now, it is Iran that may well become a target of the Israel-U.S. axis. On Tuesday night (October 1), Iran launched a barrage of around 200 missiles at Israel in defense of Iran's interests and citizens, according to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
"While the Iranian missiles only led to one reported casualty, the attack was far-reaching – the missiles reportedly reached much deeper into Israeli territory, with the largest Israeli city Tel Aviv also being hit. In the aftermath of the strike, President Pezeshkian has warned Israel that the operation on Tuesday was 'only a portion of our power' while Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned in Hebrew that the 'blows' against Israel would become 'stronger and more painful.' In return, the Israelis have vowed retaliation while the U.S. has claimed there will be 'severe consequences' for Iran. Now, more than ever before, the war Israel triggered in Gaza is close to becoming a full-blown regional conflict...
In Karachi, Pakistanis protest in support of Palestine
"Now, with Israel and Iran closer to full-blown conflict than at any point since October 7, 2023, it seems only a matter of time before more countries are dragged into the fighting. A confrontation between Israel and Iran would likely drag the U.S. in as well, which has already committed thousands more troops to the region to bolster security and defend Israel. Any attacks on Iran would have a tremendously destabilizing impact on the region and the world economy in general, given the importance of Middle East oil supplies.
"Commercial ships in the region have already been caught in the crossfire between the Israel-U.S. axis and the Houthis and with missiles flying across the region with more regularity, anyone in the region seeking a stable climate for their economy and overall conditions is in trouble. This includes Pakistan, which has only just secured an IMF bailout package and is highly dependent on a stable external climate to keep inflation down and its economy on track.
"A wider war between Israel and Iran also risks pulling in other actors. Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan has already called on the United Nations General Assembly to recommend the use of force, if the UN Security Council fails to stop Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon. Israel can expect more strikes like the one on Tuesday should it stick to its current course. Is this likely to deter the Israelis? Probably not. Thus far, any calls for restraint have been heeded more by Israel's opponents and yet the U.S. only seeks to blame them for even a hint of resistance to Israel's illegal acts.
"As long as Israel knows that it has the no-strings-attached backing of the world's foremost military power, it will remain committed to its savage course. But it is highly unlikely that more U.S. troops and support will make Israel or any other country in the Middle East more secure. In fact, the whole catastrophic situation the region is facing now can be seen as the culmination of more than half a century of reckless and biased U.S. hegemony over the region. In the interests of peace, it is now clearly time to move away from American neo-colonial power and toward a model that takes into account the rights, aspirations and will of the people actually living in the Middle East."
Following are excerpts from the Roznama Jasarat editorial, as translated from Urdu:[3]
"Despite The Global Media's Bias Toward Israel, For The First Time The World Has Learned That Israel Is A Racist State And Is Continuously Bombing Civilian Populations"
"UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has described the killings and destruction in Gaza as the worst situation in history. While speaking to international media representatives, he also refuted the impression that the United Nations would take control of Gaza in the future or deploy a peace mission there. Expressing his impression about the situation in Gaza, he has also said that the suffering that the Muslims of Gaza are currently undergoing is unprecedented.
"Regarding the issue of Palestine and the establishment of peace in the Middle East, emphasizing on the two-state solution of Palestine, he said that there is no other feasible solution. The two-state solution is the only viable and practical solution for Palestine. The UN Secretary-General's concern over the situation in Palestine, particularly Gaza, is not being expressed for the first time. He has been consistently expressing concern over the current wave of violence that began on October 7, 2023. However, the UN chief's sense of helplessness has exposed many realities to the world.
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan protesters express support for Palestine
"Despite the global media's bias toward Israel, for the first time the world has learned that Israel is a racist state and is continuously bombing civilian populations, with children, women, and elderly people being the most targeted. According to a report, 53 children are being killed on a daily basis. In this war, even aid workers under the United Nations' umbrella have been targeted. Doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers in particular have been targeted by Israel's military bombings.
"The International Court of Justice issued an arrest warrant for the government of Israel, its prime minister and defense minister, declaring them guilty of genocide, but did not authorize any agency to take action against Israel. The reason for this is obvious that the creation of a racist Zionist state in the Arab world in 1948 was a necessity for the global political expediency of the world imperialist powers Great Britain, France, and the United States..."
"Before October 7, [2023,] There Was An Impression That The Palestinian Resistance Had Been Crushed"; "After October 7, The Scenario Changed, And The Resilience Of Gaza's Muslims Exposed The Plight Of Palestinians To The World"
"Before October 7, [2023,] there was an impression that the Palestinian resistance had been crushed. Only the mujahideen of Hamas and Al-Jihad remain in a small strip of Gaza, and they will also be eliminated by labeling them as terrorists. Before October 7, Muslims watched in despair, fearing those Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and even Pakistan would recognize Israel's illegitimate existence.
"However, after October 7, the scenario changed, and the resilience of Gaza's Muslims exposed the plight of Palestinians to the world. For the first time, the world became aware of the Zionist government's crimes against humanity in Israel. Even in the U.S. and Europe, Jews participated in protests against Israel, demanding their governments stop supporting and backing Israel and demanded that the massacre of Palestinian children, women and innocent civilians be stopped in our name.
A screenshot of the Roznama Jasarat editorial
"The prime minister of Israel and the head of his army were arrogant [in thinking] that, we would wipe out the remaining mujahideen of Hamas with our military might; and after that, the war will also stop, our occupation and domination will be established over the rest of Palestine as well, but this could not happen. The world is constantly calling for a ceasefire after seeing the massacres and genocide in Gaza, but no one has any pressure on the government of Israel. But now the reaction has started even among the Jews of Israel itself.
"Despite being the largest military power in the region, Israel has not released a few hundred hostages. While pressure for a ceasefire is increasing both externally and internally, the real responsibility lies with the global powers. UN Secretary-General António Guterres confirms that the deaths in Gaza are one of the worst tragedies in history, but the U.S. and European countries fail to acknowledge it. They, too, are forced to settle for mere demands instead of taking concrete actions. In their view, the two-state solution is the only viable option.
"The U.S. has proposed the two-state solution to convince Palestinian leadership and Muslim countries, but Israel has not even adhered to the agreements made at Camp David and Oslo. At that time, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who refused to accept Jerusalem (Al-Quds) and Al-Aqsa Mosque as the Palestinian capital, was poisoned and martyred. Therefore, the real culprits behind the Palestinian issue are the U.S., Britain, and Israel."
