ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday clarified that former US President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal to end the Gaza conflict does not reflect the draft presented by a group of Muslim-majority nations, walking back from earlier impressions of support.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Dar said, “I have made it clear that these 20 points which Trump has made public are not the same as ours. Some changes have been made in the draft we had,” Reuters reported. His comments came just days after Trump publicly praised Islamabad for backing his plan.
The distinction centers on one of the key demands raised by the eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, during a September 22 meeting with Trump: a call for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza. Trump’s blueprint, however, outlines only a partial pullback linked to phased hostage releases by Hamas.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier welcomed Trump’s announcement, but Dar explained that Sharif’s remarks were a general response to a broader social media post made by Trump while Sharif was in transit.
Dar, who also serves as foreign minister, underlined that Muslim nations had agreed on a draft seeking “full Israeli withdrawal” and “a just peace based on the two-state solution.” He reiterated that the establishment of a Palestinian state coexisting with Israel remains Pakistan’s official policy.
The foreign minister noted that Trump assured the coalition he would not allow any permanent Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, a demand voiced by far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Along with Pakistan, leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Indonesia participated in the talks.
Trump’s Gaza proposal
Trump on Monday released a 20-point plan for ending the war between Israel and Hamas. The proposal calls for the return of all hostages living and dead within 72 hours of a ceasefire. It also envisions the development of a “New Gaza” under international supervision.
According to the plan, Arab and Muslim nations would be asked to contribute peacekeeping forces and funding for Gaza’s reconstruction, while Israel would eventually carry out a staged withdrawal. Hamas, however, would be required to disarm as a condition for the process to move forward.
The framework includes a transitional Palestinian governing body composed of technocrats and international experts, and a “Board of Peace” led by Trump, with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested for an unspecified role.
Hamas has been given three to four days to respond to the plan, which leaves several key details unresolved. The ongoing war, which erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead and 251 taken hostage, has since killed more than 66,000 Palestinians according to Gaza health authorities.
-
-
-
-
