Pakistani Foreign Minister Calls For An End to “Aggression”

SHAH MEHMOOD QURESHI, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: Deep pockets.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA: What does that mean?

QURESHI: Well, they’re very influential people. I mean, they control media.

GOLODRYGA: I mean, I would call that an anti-Semitic remark.

QURESHI: Well, you see, the point is, they have a lot of influence, and they get a lot of coverage. Now, what has balanced that is the citizen journalist who has been reporting, sharing with your clips, and that has jolted people and that has woken up people and people who are sitting on the fence are today speaking up. Do you see how in different capitals of the world, in London, in Madrid, you know, Michigan, Chicago, every place from Sydney to the European capitals, people have come out and saying, put an end to this insanity. They’re calling for an immediate cease-fire. Now, the Security Council has failed in forging a joint statement and coming out with a joint statement and forging a consensus. The General Assembly is giving a clear message to the Security Council, it is your prime responsibility to ensure peace and security. Please live up to the U.N. charter.

GOLODRYGA: But, Mr. Ambassador, can we not separate the fact that there are calls for peace and for equal human rights for both sides, for Palestinians and for Israelis without anti-Semitic talk and rhetoric? And we are seeing an know crease in anti-Semitism around the world, many of these protests are showing signs and images of anti-Semitism, as well. Shouldn’t you be condemning that?

QURESHI: I will not justify any rocket attacks and I cannot justify and I cannot condone the aerial bombardment that is taking place. What I’m saying–

GOLODRYGA: What about anti-Semitism and rockets and what about Hamas’s role in stopping the rockets?

QURESHI: I am saying when you do not engage, when there are no negotiations, when there’s occupation, when there’s genocide, when there’s war crime, when there’s ethnic cleansing, then an extremist element takes advantage of that situation. Avoid it. How do you avoid it? You avoid it by pursuing a two-state solution, by adhering to the Security Council resolutions.