Public opinion is changing worldwide, Palestinians will have their own country one day, says PM Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that the public opinion worldwide was changing in favor of Palestine as more people raised their voices against Israeli atrocities in the occupied territory.

During his address on the occasion of Palestine Solidarity Day, PM Khan said:

“I am seeing a very positive development and that is the change in the global public opinion. A day would come when Palestinians would have their own country.”

The government had announced on Tuesday to observe Friday as the Solidarity Day with Palestinians against the Israeli oppression and barbarism.

The premier said that during his time in the West, he had never witnessed such fierce criticism of the Israeli army for its war crimes against Palestinians from people and Western media.

“Instead they all [thought] as if injustice was being done against Israel but this is the first time that voices have started rising from there,” he said, adding that now Western newspapers, media, and politicians openly criticize Israel.

He said he had never imagined that Israel will be criticized publicly in America or in other Western countries.

“A big reason for this change in public opinion is social media. Even if the main [stream] media stops or censors any report, social media is such a force that no one can stop news or communication,” said Khan.

He recalled the paradigm shift in South Africa and how public opinion against the apartheid regime changed there.

The same regime was once backed by the world powers, but as the public opinion changed, the same world powers had pressured the South African regime to give equal rights to Africans and Asians.

“I am seeing similar signs of a change in the world's public opinion and these big countries who had been supporting Israel up till now will exert full pressure to give Palestinians their full rights.

“A day will come when Palestinians will get their own country, a just settlement and they will be able to live as equal citizens,” said Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Earlier, Pakistan welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza. The country is marking a day of solidarity with the Palestinian people by holding countrywide peaceful protests against the ongoing Israeli aggression.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi endorsed the ceasefire, calling it "the power of collective, unified action; this is the effort of every person and every nation, together for a just cause”.

The Minister reiterated his government's support for the cause, and urged the need for a just solution to the plight of the Palestinian people.

Rallies will be held across most major cities in Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

As reported by Reuters, a member of the Hamas political bureau has warned that the group still has its "hands on the trigger", adding that “It is true the battle ends today but (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and the whole world should know that our hands are on the trigger and we will continue to grow the capabilities of this resistance".

During this period of escalation, at least 232 Palestinians including 65 children, have been killed in the Israeli bombardment, with countless civilians injured in the process and serious damage being done to vital public infrastructure including schools and hospitals.