Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed in a televised interview last week that he has refused to establish ties with the ‘Zionist’ Israeli government despite international pressure.
He declared that his decision is in line with the teachings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. “I have no second thought about recognizing Israel unless there is a just settlement that satisfies Palestinians,” he said.
Without revealing the names of all the countries that are pushing him to formalize political relations with the Jewish state, Khan has hinted that Pakistan has good relations with them. This indicates that they could be Arab or Muslim countries, three of which – the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Sudan – have recently recognized the sovereignty of Israel.
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However, he has disclosed that the US is among the countries pressurizing Pakistan to do so, and said, “It is because of Israel’s deep impact in the US. This influence was, in fact, extraordinary during the Trump stint”.
While answering a question regarding the recent US presidential election, Khan blamed Israel for the ongoing war in Afghanistan.
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He remarked that Israel had wanted the US to stay in Afghanistan to keep a check on its arch-enemy, Iran, and on its potential threat, Pakistan. “Afghanistan is not a real issue. The real issue is Israel. It is to be seen how Biden deals with that. Whether he changes Trump’s policies about Israel or continues with them,” he said.
On a separate occasion, PM Imran Khan had stated that he had been offered help in the FATF and IMF, and other monetary benefits if he officially recognized Israel.
