ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan is facing pressure from the United States to recognize Israel, especially in the wake of peace deals between several Arab states and Tel Aviv, but this will not be possible “unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestine”.
Foreign media was quoted the Priemer as saying while talking to local media. US pressure to recognise Israel was “extraordinary during the Trump stint”, prime minister said.
He caragorically rules out recognition of Israel until there is justice for Palestinians.
To a question if any Muslim states were applying similar pressure on Pakistan, the Premier appeared evasive, saying “there are things we cannot say. We have good relations with them”.
Earlier this year the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan normalised relations with Israel, while reports in the media stated that the Trump administration was goading Saudi Arabia to do the same. Riyadh has so far not followed in the footsteps of its Gulf and Arab allies.
The PM reiterated Pakistan’s official line on the Palestine question, saying that “Islamabad would continue to follow in Jinnah’s footsteps vis-a-vis Palestine” meaning that unless there was justice for the Arab side, recognition of the Zionist state was off the table for Pakistan.
