Does Imran Khan want to normalize ties with Israel?

As the people of Pakistan are fully supporting the cause of a free Palestine, it is difficult for any political leader in the country to say anything in support of Israel including the normalization of ties between Pakistan and the illegal Jewish state. So the stance of Imran Khan, founder of PTI and former Prime Minister, on the Israel issue is also as per the popular Pakistani policy, however, the Israeli media has recently made some different claims about Imran Khan which has triggered a debate in the South Asian country.

Last month Times of Israel stated that Imran Khan despite his public anti-Israel stance has internally expressed a desire to normalize relations between Pakistan and Israel. Now the Israeli Newspaper Jerusalem Post has backed these claims.

The Jerusalem Post has also labeled Imran Khan as a “like-minded politician” for Israel and suggested that his political success in recent elections offers an opportunity to re-evaluate Pakistan-Israel relations.

In its report, the newspaper claimed that Pakistan’s military establishment has long resisted such normalization.

The report posited that altering the current political leadership and the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House could accelerate the process of Pakistan-Israel relations, with Imran Khan playing a pivotal role in changing public opinion and military policy.

The publication further highlighted the potential economic benefits for Pakistan, including advances in agriculture, cybersecurity, and defense, should relations with Israel be normalized.

After the Jerusalem Post’s report rival politicians criticized Imran Khan and called him part of the Zionist lobby, however Khan’s party rejected the report and reiterated that Khan’s stance on Israel is clear from day one.

In response to the allegations against the party founder, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said the PML-N was spreading rumors against the former premier to mislead the people of Pakistan.

“The founder’s [Imran Khan], stance on Israel is clear from day one,” Barrister Saif said in a statement on Sunday. He said that the PTI founder had also spoken about the Palestinian’s right to self-determination on all national and international forums.

“A Jewish newspaper’s admiration of Imran Khan does not change Khan’s stance on Israel,” the statement quoted Mr Saif as saying.