‘State Sponsor Of Terror’: Pakistan Roasted By UN Lawyer After Interrupting Speech On Qatar Strikes
Pakistan faced a moment of acute embarrassment at the United Nations Human Rights Council when an international human rights lawyer publicly branded it a “state sponsor of terror” after its delegation interrupted his scathing critique of Qatar. The dramatic confrontation unfolded during a meeting discussing the recent Israeli airstrikes in Doha that targeted Hamas officials.
The session took a fiery turn after Pakistan, along with several other nations, condemned the Israeli strikes. The Pakistani representative stated, “We also strongly condemn Israel’s unlawful and heinous bombing in Qatar.” This prompted Hillel Neuer, a human rights lawyer and the executive director of the non-governmental organization UN Watch, to take the floor and challenge the premise of the debate. Turning his focus on Qatar, Neuer questioned its role in harboring Hamas leaders. “If you don’t want targeted bombings of terrorists in your capital, why do you harbor terrorists in your capital?” he asked the Qatari delegation, adding, “Why do you act as a mediator by day, and a terror sponsor by night?”
Neuer then drew a parallel to criticize what he suggested was a double standard from the UN, contrasting Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ condemnation of the Doha strike with the UN’s reaction when the US killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. At the mention of Bin Laden and Pakistan, the Pakistani diplomat intervened, interrupting the speech. “We reject casting unfounded accusations and allegations,” the diplomat said, stressing the principles of territorial integrity.
The council president then gave Neuer just four seconds to conclude his remarks. In a final, pointed jab that has since gone viral, Neuer used his time to look directly at the Pakistani delegation and state, “Mr. President, Pakistan is another state sponsor of terror.” The incident highlighted the contentious dynamics at play as the international community grapples with the fallout from the Israeli attack on Qatar, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer on September 9.
