Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani emphasized on Thursday that Pakistan’s stance on Israel remains unchanged and will continue to be consistent with its historical position. He affirmed, “There is no alteration in our policy concerning Israel,” underscoring that Islamabad’s policy remains firmly connected to the rights of the Palestinian people.
In Pakistan, there have been concerns that recognizing Israel without a permanent resolution to the Palestinian conflict could potentially weaken the country’s position on the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan also maintains a stance of not establishing diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv and adheres to the “two-state solution in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions, as well as international law, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as the capital of Palestine.”
This marks the second statement by Jilani regarding Pakistan’s ties with Israel in the past week. Earlier, the foreign minister had stated that Pakistan’s decision regarding recognition of Israel would be based on its national interests and those of the Palestinians.
Foreign Minister Jilani’s comments came in response to statements made by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who suggested that six or seven Muslim countries might establish peace with Israel if a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia were to materialize.
Cohen’s remarks were made following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the UNGA, where he spoke about a “new Middle East” featuring diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Cohen indicated that “peace with Saudi Arabia means peace with the greater Muslim world,” without specifying any country names except Saudi Arabia. He noted that these countries were situated in Africa and Asia, although not all had been in direct contact with him. Foreign Minister Jilani clarified that he had not met with his Israeli counterpart.
Upon his return to Pakistan after attending this year’s UNGA, Jilani addressed the media, reaffirming that Pakistan’s decisions on this matter would prioritize its national interests. He reiterated that both he and PM Kakar had articulated their stance during their speeches at the UNGA, emphasizing the need for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, a position Pakistan consistently upholds.
Observers believe that if an agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia were to materialize, given Riyadh’s historical support for the Palestinian cause, it might exert pressure on other countries, including Pakistan, to reconsider their policies. Pakistan has consistently resisted external pressure to recognize Israel, and while there was a landmark meeting between Pakistani and Israeli foreign ministers in Turkey in 2005, progress in establishing diplomatic ties was hindered due to opposition rooted in the unresolved Palestinian issue.
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