Will Pakistan become the next Muslim-majority nation to recognize Israel? Probably not, but if the Pakistanis looked at the issue with passion, they would see that the exchange of ambassadors with Jerusalem makes perfect sense.
The decisions of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to normalize ties with Israel have fueled speculation that Pakistan is preparing to follow suit. In a November television interview, Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke of “pressure” from the United States and the unnamed nations “with whom we have good relations” to recognize Israel. Many commentators assumed that he was referring to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
In the same month, prominent Pakistani journalists also raised the issue of normalization. Given the sensitivity of the subject and the reluctance of most journalists to risk military discontent, this indicated that strong generals in Pakistan probably trained their voices to float a test balloon.
But Islamabad is unlikely to move forward. In his November interview, Mr Khan said Pakistan recognizes that Israel will depend on a “just solution” for the Palestinians. In December, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he told the UAE foreign minister that Pakistan “will not and cannot establish a relationship with Israel until a concrete and permanent solution to the Palestinian problem is found.”
Pakistan’s hostility to Israel is rooted in the Islamic Republic’s view of itself as a vanguard of global pan-Islamism. The ostentatious solidarity with the Palestinians has long been a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.