Daily Times

Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Thursday asserted that Pakistan’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict “is and will remain” the same as it was in the past. “There is no change in our policy regarding Israel our policy is linked to the rights of Palestinian people,” he said. Pakistan does not have diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv, and believes in a “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”.

The foreign minister’s statement comes as Israel has increased efforts to stabilise ties with Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries.

Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told journalists that during the United Nations General Assembly, he met leaders from several Muslim countries who had not recognised Israel yet.

He also suggested that “six or seven” Muslim nations were likely to normalise ties with Israel, following Saudi Arabia’s potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords. The agreement represents Arab nations willing to normalise ties with Israel, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

During a news conference in Islamabad today, the foreign minister was questioned on Pakistan’s ties with Israel. In response, he said: “Whenever we decide on the matter, we will keep our national interests on priority.” FM Jilani stated that both he and the prime minister had clarified this in their speeches at the UNGA. “Palestinians must be given independent state status like that of pre-1967 and Pakistan reiterated this stance in all relevant meetings,” he said. “Palestinians’ issue of right to self-determination is similar to that of Kashmiris. This is basically the part of our national interest.”

Questioned about Pakistan’s policy pertaining to Afghanistan amid the rise in cross-border terrorism, FM Jilani said the government had concerns regarding it and was engaging with Afghanistan on the matter.

“The presence of terrorists and stopping attacks from their soil is the responsibility of the Afghan government,” he said, highlighting that this was the neighbouring country’s bilateral commitment.Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Thursday asserted that Pakistan’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict “is and will remain” the same as it was in the past.

“There is no change in our policy regarding Israel our policy is linked to the rights of Palestinian people,” he said.

Pakistan does not have diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv, and believes in a “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”.

The foreign minister’s statement comes as Israel has increased efforts to stabilise ties with Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries.

Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told journalists that during the United Nations General Assembly, he met leaders from several Muslim countries who had not recognised Israel yet.

He also suggested that “six or seven” Muslim nations were likely to normalise ties with Israel, following Saudi Arabia’s potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords. The agreement represents Arab nations willing to normalise ties with Israel, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

During a news conference in Islamabad today, the foreign minister was questioned on Pakistan’s ties with Israel. In response, he said: “Whenever we decide on the matter, we will keep our national interests on priority.”

FM Jilani stated that both he and the prime minister had clarified this in their speeches at the UNGA. “Palestinians must be given independent state status like that of pre-1967 and Pakistan reiterated this stance in all relevant meetings,” he said.

“Palestinians’ issue of right to self-determination is similar to that of Kashmiris. This is basically the part of our national interest.”

Questioned about Pakistan’s policy pertaining to Afghanistan amid the rise in cross-border terrorism, FM Jilani said the government had concerns regarding it and was engaging with Afghanistan on the matter.

“The presence of terrorists and stopping attacks from their soil is the responsibility of the Afghan government,” he said, highlighting that this was the neighbouring country’s bilateral commitment.