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Roheena Karim
Over the several years, the Middle East has been central to global diplomacy, political crisis, and complex humanitarian challenges. The Palestine-Israel conflict is perhaps one of the most lasting, and complex issues in the region. This conflict has shaped the lives of millions of Palestinians, and the foreign policies of many countries throughout the world. Pakistan is a key player in the Islamic world and a close ally of the Palestinian cause.
Pakistan has consistently supported Palestinian self-determination and condemned Israeli policies for nearly 70 years.
Pakistan’s foreign policy toward Palestine and Israel is a complex issue that will gain further difficulty as the Middle East remains an arena of power struggles, sectarian tensions, and evolving alliances. While Pakistan has not moved toward formal recognition of Israel, it must navigate the changing dynamics of the Middle East while continuing to advocate for Palestinian rights.
The origins of the Palestine-Israel conflict date back to the early 20th century when Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine under British control began to clash. After the First World War, Britain was placed in a mandate over Palestine by the League of Nations to establish a home for the Jewish people in the region as promised in the Balfour Declaration. However, this promise was fiercely contested by the Arab population who feared their communities, as well as themselves, being displaced and marginalized.
The Jewish state of Israel was created in 1948 and this was an event for which it remains seminal. In its wake, the first Arab – Israeli war took place in which the Arab states that were neighboring Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq tried to fend off the declaration of Jewish independence. Although the outcome was a decisive Israeli victory, the war also displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs – forcing them to become refugees, a crisis still affecting the region to this day.
But tensions had already been developed by subsequent wars, like the June War in 1967, in which Israel took over the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. Israelis’ control over these territories and the growth of Israel’s settlements have been a matter of dispute since they are considered illegal by international law and are a breach of Palestinian sovereignty.
In 2020, agreements brokered by the United States between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco were considered as a major shift in Arab-Israeli relations. The Palestinian leaders have been critical of these accords as they consider them a betrayal of the Arab consensus that any peace with Israel is to be established after creating a Palestinian state. However, proponents of the accords argue that they represent a pragmatic approach to regional security and economic cooperation.
The normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states complicates Pakistan’s stance on the Palestinian issue.
Pakistan has always supported the Palestinian cause since its inception. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a vocal supporter of the rights of the Palestinians and the Palestinian state. For almost 70 years Pakistan has strongly upheld the principle of Palestinian self-determination and has consistently condemned Israeli policies, including its occupation of Palestinian territories. Pakistan believes itself and its people have an affiliation with Palestinians in their battle against Israeli occupation.
Pakistan is also one of the United States’ main critics of their role in the Middle East, especially their permanent support to Israel. Although the United States has given Israel substantial military and financial support, Pakistan has traditionally stressed that a just Palestinian–Israeli peace must be based on UN Security Council resolutions and the relevant principles of international law. Despite its strong support for Palestine, Pakistan faces a delicate balancing act in its foreign policy.
One potential foreign policy approach for Pakistan is to continue its strong advocacy for the Palestinian cause, focusing on diplomatic efforts to highlight the plight of the Palestinian people. This could involve pushing for the implementation of international resolutions that call for the end of Israeli occupation and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
By maintaining a consistent position on the Palestinian issue, Pakistan would uphold its historical role as a champion of Palestinian rights and remain a significant voice within the broader Muslim world. However, this approach risks alienating Pakistan from the growing number of Arab states normalizing relations with Israel. It could place it at odds with Western powers, particularly the United States, which has been Israel’s staunchest ally.
In contrast, Pakistan could evaluate incorporating a more pragmatic approach, which might involve engaging in dialogue with Israel without compromising its support for Palestine. Given the changing dynamics in the Middle East, including the normalization of ties between Israel and several Arab states, Pakistan could explore back-channel diplomacy with Israel.
A delicate balance is required for Pakistan as it navigates its foreign policy while advocating for Palestinian rights.
This would be based on progress toward a peaceful resolution of the Palestine-Israel conflict, particularly regarding the issue of Palestinian self-determination. While formal recognition of Israel by Pakistan remains highly unlikely in the near term, informal engagement could open channels for greater influence in future peace processes.
Roheena Karim is a scholar of International Relations. She has an MS degree in International Relations.