Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that peace in Palestine cannot be achieved without recognizing Hamas as a key stakeholder. He called Israel an illegitimate state and confirmed that Pakistan would never accept it. While speaking at a press conference in Lahore, he reminded everyone that the founder of Pakistan had also declared Israel illegitimate. He warned that any forced solution on Palestinians would fail, no matter how powerful the backers. According to him, the people of Palestine must have full control over any decision about their future.
He criticized US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan and said it was being imposed without consent from Palestinians. He argued that Trump was trying to dominate global politics with threats and force. Fazlur Rehman added that this method is neither political nor ethical. He said Palestinians must decide their fate themselves and no outsider should dictate terms. He stressed that real peace must include the voices of all parties, especially those like Hamas.
Read more: Accept peace or face war: Netanyahu’s stark warning to Hamas
The JUI-F chief also expressed concern over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s changing statements. He said there was a clear difference between Sharif’s UN speech and his later tweets. According to Fazlur Rehman, such mixed messaging hurts Pakistan’s credibility on the global stage. He also criticized Shehbaz for appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He said this move ignored the International Court of Justice, which had already declared Netanyahu a war criminal.
Fazlur Rehman warned that the Trump-Netanyahu plan is aimed at expanding Israeli control, not securing Palestinian rights. He said it fails to offer a real path to peace or freedom for Jerusalem. He also demanded the US cancel its plan to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Only then, he said, could Muslim nations even consider a two-state solution. Any deal without an independent Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital would be meaningless.
Read more: Hamas, Qatar, Egypt meet to discuss Gaza ceasefire
In closing, Fazlur Rehman said the Muslim world stands united for Palestine’s freedom. He said the Islamic countries all support a one-page stance for a free Palestinian state. Hamas, he added, represents the will of many Palestinians and cannot be excluded from talks. Without their inclusion, any deal will lack legitimacy. He urged world leaders to stop playing politics with innocent lives and support true justice in the region.