Daily Times

At last, our foreign office has woken up to rumours doing the rounds for weeks about the possibility of establishing ties with Israel. Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal clarified that no such move was under consideration. “Such actions are part of baseless propaganda. There is no change in our policy. Our policy of non-recognition of Israel remains unchanged,” he told a weekly press briefing. The issue of recognising the Jewish state became the subject of heated debates after a newspaper article suggested that Saudi Arabia and UAE foreign ministers, who recently visited Pakistan, had discussed the possibility. Moreover, two Pakistani writers also wrote in an Israeli newspaper about the Pakistani society’s and establishment’s perspectives on the issue, entailing religious and social taboos.

There are a few acknowledged references of official contacts between Pakistan and Israel. It starts in 1947, when David Ben Gurion, who later became the first prime minister of Israel, wrote to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for Pakistan’s support in recognising soon-to-be-born Israel. In 2005, then foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri met then Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom in Istanbul. The state stuck to its policy that Palestine be established first with East Jerusalem its capital. Israel is interested in getting its diplomats stationed in Pakistan. Some circles recommend at least considering the move given the fact that Pakistan will be helped by the powerful Jewish lobby to get good space in US policy circles. Moreover, they think the move will help Pakistan neutralise the India-Israel nexus in military and intelligence sharing. They also cite several Arab countries that have recognised Israel.

Whatever the arguments, the fact is that Israel is not going to end its strategic partnership with India. Even if Pakistan changes its policy, the bully state will not change its position on Palestine and neighbouring countries. The recent announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would immediately annex a part of the occupied West Bank (Jordan Valley) if re-elected next week should be taken in this context. Though many Arab countries opted to remain mum on this announcement, Pakistan has rejected the move. “We reject any such move which will be illegal and a dangerous escalation. While reaffirming our solidarity with the Palestinians, Pakistan reiterates its support for a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” says the foreign office.

That should continue to be our policy. *