November 18, 2020
Saudi Arabia is pressuring Pakistan to recognize Israel?
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Saudi Arabia is pressuring Pakistan to recognize Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday quoting a Pakistani journalist.
The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday:
Prominent Pakistani journalist Mubasher Lucman believes that Saudi Arabia is one of the countries pressuring Islamabad into recognizing Israel, he said in an interview with an Israeli TV network, i24 News.
Lucman's statement follows Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement that Islamabad has been placed "under pressure" by the United States, and other unnamed countries, to recognize Israel.
"I have no doubt that in my analysis that the other country he is talking about is Saudi Arabia, and no one else," Lucman told the i24 presenter. "There are only four countries that could have said this: One is the United States, second is Israel, third is India and fourth is Saudi Arabia. There is no fifth country that has that kind of influence over [Pakistan]."
Here are more excerpts from Lucman’s interview:
Lucman further notes the complex geopolitical situation of the region, as well as its evolution over the years – where Pakistan is facing pressure to and has aligned with "questionable" countries such as China, Iran, Turkey and Malaysia, among others – which on its own has caused turmoil between Riyadh and Islamabad.
Lucman said that Saudi Arabia has always looked at Pakistan as its "subordinate" country, but "this time things are changing, the global geopolitical situation is changing, the politics of the region are changing, the influences are changing. So Saudi Arabia alone is not the only influencer in Pakistan."
However, the transition of the geopolitical has not just added to the complexity, it's also seemed to have opened opportunities for Pakistan who have been extended an olive branch by the US, requesting Islamabad to recognize Israel in return for Washington's favor.
The Pakistani premier's original comments were reported by the Turkish Anadolu Agency and published in Pakistan's The Express Tribune, stating that the Muslim-dominated country has received numerous appeals from other nations to recognize Israel as a state, without going into much detail about which countries were applying the pressure – besides the usual suspect being the US.
"The pressure is because of Israel's deep impact in the US. This was in fact extraordinary during Trump's stint," he said, according to the report.
Khan noted, however, he has "no second thought to recognize Israel unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestinians," adding that the stance is motivated by the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who had refused pressure of the like in the past.
Khan refused to name the countries that have been pressuring him
On Monday, the Jerusalem Post reported that Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is pressured to recognize Israel.
Pakistan faced pressure from another country to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said over the weekend, the Post said quoting a Pakistani TV interview:
“I have no second thoughts about [not] recognizing Israel unless there is a just settlement that satisfies Palestinians.”
He refused to name the country or countries that have been pressuring him, saying: “There are things we cannot say. We have good relations with them.”
When his interlocutor again asked who is pressuring Pakistan, Khan said: “Let us stand on our own feet in terms of economy; then you may ask these questions.”
The pressure is a result of “Israel’s deep impact in the US,” he said. “This [influence] was, in fact, extraordinary during [US President Donald] Trump’s tenure.”
US President-elect Joe Biden’s position on Israel is of utmost importance, Khan said.
“The real issue is Israel,” he said. “We shall see how Biden deals with that: whether he changes Trump’s policies on Israel or continues with them.”
“Israel’s lobby is the most powerful, and that’s why America’s whole Middle East policy is controlled by Israel,” Khan said last month.
FO refutes reports regarding US pressure on Pakistan to recognize Israel
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Tuesday termed as ‘fabricated’ the media reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan in an interview had mentioned the pressure of United States on Pakistan to recognize Israel.
FO Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the Prime Minister had clearly articulated Pakistan’s position that unless a just settlement of the Palestine issue which was satisfactory to the Palestinian people, Pakistan could not recognize Israel.
He said the prime minister had stressed that Pakistan’s policy in this regard was rooted in Quaid-e-Azam’s vision.
“The prime minister’s remarks are an unequivocal reaffirmation of Pakistan’s position on the subject, leaving no room for baseless speculation,” he said.
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan will continue to support 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 as the capital of Palestine.
Over the past few months, speculations have been rife that Pakistan may establish formal relations with Israel due to the recognition of Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Not surprisingly, social media was abuzz with reports that Saudi Arabia has asked Pakistan:
1. Stop openly supporting Palestine & usher ties with Israel & accept US peace plan of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
2. To close the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) deal with China and move back to US camp & close its relations with China
3. Stop raising Kashmir issue & accept annexation of Kashmir by India. Roll back it's new political map.
4. Break all relations with Turkey, Qatar & Malaysia & accept help from Saudi & fight for Saudi in Yemen
The social media reports added:
1. Pakistan rejected breaking away from China & stop CPEC projects.
2. If Saudi stops oil Pakistan will undermine US sanctions on Iran & get oil from Iran directly.
3. If Saudi Arabia sends back labors Pakistan will move its army & police from Saudi Arabia.
4. Pakistan will break OIC & join Turkey, Malaysia, Libya, Iran, Qatar, Azerbaijan & central Asians countries.
Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) email: asghazali2011 (@) gmail.com
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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