[Current Affairs] November 18,2020 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for Entry Test Preparation

2. Pakistan reportedly under pressure to recognize Israel

What’s going on? According to this report, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said the United States (U.S.) is ramping up pressure on Pakistan to normalize ties with Israel. The report quoted PM Khan saying that pressure was “extraordinary” during U.S President Donald Trump’s term. According to the report, PM Khan also insisted that Pakistan won’t budge unless there’s a fair settlement that “satisfies Palestine.”

The details: Pakistan’s Foreign Office rejected the report, which quoted PM Khan saying the U.S. is putting pressure on Pakistan to recognise Israel. A foreign office spokesperson reiterated PM Khan’s stance on Israel, and said Pakistan supports a two-state solution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “…with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of Palestine” (i.e. Al-Quds Al-Sharif is a reference to the city of Jerusalem). Israel believes all of Jerusalem is its capital, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Tell me more: During a TV interview in August 2020, PM Khan pointed to Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who reportedly said Pakistan could not recognize Israel unless it gave freedom to Palestinians. During that same interview, PM Khan claimed the Palestinians are facing “tyranny.”

The context: In August and September 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and then Bahrain, agreed to normalize relations with Israel. Normalizing relations with Israel is a kind of diplomatic agreement that also opens economic and trade ties with the country. The agreement came after the U.S. hosted Israel and several other Arab states for talks in Warsaw, Poland. The topic of discussion: Future of peace in the Middle East. In October 2020, after another U.S.-brokered deal, Sudan also jumped on the recognize Israel bandwagon. As a part of the agreement, the U.S. said it would remove Sudan from a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’ list.

The bottom line: Palestinian leaders have constantly asked Arab countries to not establish ties with Israel until the Israelis and Palestinians reach a mutual agreement. Pakistan has never had formal ties to Israel. At this time, even though Pakistan isn’t an Arab country, it is a predominantly Muslim country that appears to be standing with Palestinians. However, Pakistan’s Middle East ally, UAE, agreed to have normal relations with Israel.