ISLAMABAD: The spokesman of Foreign Office, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri has said that Pakistan was not reconsidering its Israel policy and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statements in this context have been clear and unequivocal.
The spokesman in a statement issued on Tuesday said, Pakistan “cannot recognise Israel” until a “just settlement of the Palestinian issue” is found.
“For just and lasting peace, it is imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with relevant United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State,” the FO added.
For just & lasting peace, it is imperative to have a two-state solution in accordance with relevant @UN & @OIC_OCI resolutions, with the pre-1967 borders & Al-Quds Al-Sharif as capital of a viable, independent & contiguous Palestinian State. 2/2
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 24, 2020
The statement comes a day after reports emerged of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi city of Neom. However, the reports were later denied by Saudi Arabia.
This is the second statement regarding Pakistan’s stance on Israel that the FO has issued in a week’s time. Earlier, the FO had denied reports that the prime minister had said that the United States was pressurizing Pakistan to recognize Israel.
Last week’s statement referred to a news report by the Middle East Eye (MEE), which quoted PM Imran as saying that Pakistan was facing pressure by the US to recognize Israel in the wake of deals between Tel Aviv and several Arab countries.
However, it made clear that Pakistan could not take the step “unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestine”. This year, three Arab states including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan have signed pacts with Israel, formally establishing diplomatic relations.
