Debunking four arguments Pakistanis commonly make in defense of Pakistan’s current policy on Israel-Palestine
JANUARY 21, 2018 ~
F. JEFFERY
Following the almost a week long visit of Israeli PM Netanyahu to India, there’s once again debate in Pakistan on how should Pakistan respond and whether Pakistan’s existing policy on Israel-Palestine is even workable anymore. There’s developing a growing consensus among Pakistani experts on international relations and defense that Pakistan’s policy on Israel-Palestine can use some balancing. The one thing fresh about this renewed debate is the latest Palestinian betrayal when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
recalled Palestinian envoy to Pakistan after coming under pressure from India. It was not only a diplomatic rebuke to Pakistan but also a shameless betrayal that hurt the feelings of many pro-Palestinian Pakistanis, who didn’t expect Palestinians to insult Pakistan considering that last year in 2017 Pakistan almost went to war with US on the issue of Jerusalem. Pakistan co-sponsored the UN resolution condemning President Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem and Pakistani representative at UN
Ms Maleeha Lodhi gave a passionate speech against it. Even before that resolution, Pakistan has tabled and co-sponsored countless pro-Palestinian UN resolutions over the years while refusing to recognize Israel. The thing which perhaps hurt Pakistanis even more was the fact that Palestinians recalled their envoy to Pakistan because he shared the stage with Hafiz Saeed, who many Pakistanis see as a freedom fighter figure of sorts due to his stance on the issue of Kashmir – a territory claimed by both Pakistan and India. Palestinians recalling their envoy meant that Palestinians did not fully agree with Pakistan on Kashmir, which was shocking for many Pakistanis, even though Palestinians have historically always supported India over Pakistan.
The recent debate in Pakistan on Israel-Palestine issue is not restricted to the strategist and foreign policy circles but has also poured into the mainstream media. Two Pakistani TV show hosts –
Mr Ahmed Qureshi and
Mr Rana Mubashir – recently argued in their respective TV shows that Pakistan should revisit its policy towards Israel-Palestine. One could not have imagined something like this just 5 years ago as many Pakistanis are still afraid to talk frankly about this area of foreign policy due to fear of backlash from Islamists and Jihadis. So this is a positive change and something that should be encouraged. Even more recently, former Pakistani President and former Chief of Pakistan’s Armed Forces Mr Musharraf argued in an
interview that Pakistan must protect its national interests first and create relations with Israel because that is what is in the interests of Pakistan. In the same interview – as well as in multiple past interviews – Mr Musharraf has also defended his initiative towards Israel when he was in power. So it is safe to say that the debate on Israel-Palestine has once again picked up in Pakistan. Thus I saw this as an opportune moment to write this article to debunk four arguments commonly made by Pakistanis to argue against relations with Israel.
“Public opinion in Pakistan won’t allow relations with Israel/Pakistan cannot create relations with Israel because of public opinion/there will be backlash if Pakistan recognized Israel/(other variations of this argument)”
This argument is perhaps the most common one made by Pakistanis to argue against open relations with Israel. But there are many problems with this argument. For starters, the majority public opinion is uninformed and ignorant of the facts about Israel as well realities of international relations. This is because of several reasons but primary being: 1. continuous bombardment of anti-Israel propaganda, coming from shady sources, through Pakistani media. 2. Islamic extremism in the country and the negative societal attitude towards Jews. 3. lack of political leadership on this issue as well as excessive scapegoating of ‘Jews’ in conspiracy theories in politics by Islamists. All of these things combined play a major role in keeping the public opinion ignorant. It is the job of the state to inform and educate the public, including on matters of national interests. A successful state controls the public opinion while a failed state surrenders to all kinds of ignorant public opinions, effectively compromising on national interests. Even though a large portion of the public opinion may be against relations with Israel, the fact remains that it is in the national interests of Pakistan. This little fact is agreed upon by every single Pakistani foreign policy expert, experienced diplomat and militaryman I have talked to over the years about this issue.
Another question that arises when this argument is used is: does Pakistan consider public opinion when dealing with any other state? Did Pakistan consider public opinion before starting CPEC with China? Did Pakistan hold a referendum before giving military bases to US and supply routes to NATO for Afghanistan war? Does Pakistan hold a referendum or consider public opinion on foreign policy matters relating to Pakistan and US, or Pakistan and Ukraine, or Pakistan and Russia? The answer to that would be no, because there are clear limitations to involvement of public opinion in foreign policy of any country. US went to war in Iraq despite American public opinion being against the war, because US government decided at that time that the Iraq war was in the interests of the US. So it is clear that it would be absurdly unfair – not to Israel but to Pakistan itself – if Pakistan applies different standards to the foreign policy question on Israel.
Media and political leaders can play an important role in educating the public while at the same time the Pakistani state must tame any and all elements who will try to oppose such an initiative. No one is bigger than the state and its national interests. Media, in particular, can play an important role in informing Pakistanis about the ground realities of the Middle East. Pakistani media can start by NOT using shady sources like Hezbollah media, Iranian media, Qatari media, etc on matters relating to Israel. This is same as Israeli media using Indian media to source stories on Pakistan – which you can bet will almost always be negatively tilted against Pakistan. Pakistani media must act more responsibly when it comes to matters relating to Israel and it should always remember that everything said on Pakistani media influences impressionable Pakistanis, many of who do not bother or do not have the means to do research of their own.
Conclusion:
Just because public opinion is for or against something doesn’t mean that it is right or in the national interest.
“Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah refused to recognize Israel so we cannot betray his stance”
This argument, like the previous one, is also based on lack of perspective. First of all, without going into the debate whether Jinnah’s stance was morally and strategically right or wrong, let’s first consider why Jinnah refused to recognize Israel: 1. Pakistan itself was a fledgling state in 1948 that was looking for support from Muslim majority countries. 2. Jinnah, like many in the Muslim majority world at the time, did not expect Israel to survive for very long.
Had Jinnah foreseen that Arabs would be soundly defeated every time they imposed war on Israel, that Israel would transform into a hub of innovation and technology, and that Arabs would end up having close backdoor relations with Israel, perhaps Mr Jinnah’s stance would have been different. Jinnah also didn’t foresee that Pakistan would get nothing of strategic benefit for decades of unconditional support for Palestinians. Pakistani unconditional support for Palestinians has not only failed to convince Palestinians to favor Pakistan over India but it has also failed to convince the international community to be more serious about the Kashmir issue, something that is very important to Pakistan. Indeed, Arab countries have historically only paid lip service to the Kashmir issue and the only two reasons many Arab countries have not openly sided with India yet is due to Pakistani military and Pakistani nukes. Remove these two things and you will see many Arab countries officially joining the Indian camp. On the other hand, even the Persians are strategic partners of India – and the Iranian regime is one of the most anti-Israel regimes in the world.
Conclusion:
Regardless of whether Jinnah’s stance at the time was right or wrong, we have entered 2018 and what Jinnah thought in 1948 is simply of no significance today whatsoever.
“Kashmir is an issue similar to Palestinian issue in nature and therefore Pakistan cannot compromise on Palestinians/Kashmir and Palestine are similar issues and therefore Pakistan needs a consistent stance/(other variations of this argument)”
First of all let’s start with the basic fact that Kashmir and Palestine are NOT similar in nature. To suggest that not only ignores history but also misses present ground realities. For starters, Pakistan does not wish to see the destruction of India, unlike Palestinian groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that have a clear manifesto that seeks total annihilation of Israel. Despite having fought multiple bloody wars, Pakistan and India not only have diplomatic relations and great trade & tourist ties and more, but India even gave the Most Favorite Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan. Apart from that, both India and Pakistan are rational actors who know that the ultimate solution to the Kashmir issue will only come through dialogue, especially now that both countries are nuclear powers and cannot afford to fight another war. On the other hand, Palestinian and Arab leaders have historically rejected peace deals with Israel – repeatedly.
I will not go into a lot of detail on this argument because in the past I have extensively talked about why Kashmir and Palestine are not the same and why Pakistanis must stop comparing both, which you can find
here.
Conclusion:
Kashmir and Palestine are two entirely different issues in nature with very different backgrounds and present ground realities. Comparing both is actually counter-productive for Pakistani stance on Kashmir issue.
“Pakistan cannot recognize Israel because of Al-Aqsa”
Let’s start with the fact that Israel is the only modern democracy in the Middle East that protects full fundamental rights – including religious rights – of all communities, including Muslims of course. When the delegation of
Pakistan-Israel Alliance (PIA)
visited Israel in 2017, one of the first things that PIA members instantly noticed was the freedom Muslims have in Israel, where they shop in the same markets as Jews, study in same universities as Jewish students and watch movies in the same cinemas as Jews. Muslims are members of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and are even free to
condemn Israel or
raise the Islamic prayer call while standing in the Knesset. This is the kind of freedom that Israel gives to its Muslim citizens – something that is missing from the several Muslim majority countries surrounding Israel.
Founder of Pakistan-Israel Alliance (PIA) Noor Dahri with Former Israeli FM Tzipi Livni at a counter-terrorism conference in Israel.
Founder of Pakistan-Israel Alliance (PIA) with former chief of Mossad Mr Shabtai Shavit at a counter-terrorism conference in Israel.
PIA delegation in front of the Western Wall.
PIA delegation outside Israel’s Independence Hall.
PIA delegation in Tel Aviv.
Now let’s talk about Al-Aqsa, which is very close to the heart of every Muslim. Muslim conspiracy theorists have long claimed – even since before Israel was created – that Jews are about to destroy Al-Aqsa and build the Third Temple. And yet today in 2018 Al-Aqsa continues to stand in all its glory, hosting Muslims from all over the world – including Pakistanis who either enter through Jordan or go directly via Israeli airport either on a different passport or on Pakistani passport, which isn’t stamped by Israeli airport officials to keep the visitor safe from persecution by authorities in his home country. While Israel has done everything it could do – from posting Muslim security officers around the mosque area to installing metal detectors to reduce probability of terrorist attacks after the rise of Islamic State – to keep Muslims safe and the mosque functioning, Palestinians have done everything they could to create difficulties not only for Israel but also for themselves. Palestinian youth routinely hide weapons inside Al-Aqsa, which are used against Israeli policemen during riots. Palestinian militants have historically also used Al-Aqsa to meet and plot attacks, thus ruining the sanctity of their own holy site.
For a moment, let’s take out Israel from the equation. Let’s imagine that Israel doesn’t exist. So now you have Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and two dozen other terrorist groups operating in the region. Plus you have genocidal regimes in the region like the Assad regime in Syria and the Ayatollah regime in Iran. Who gets to keep Al-Aqsa? We have seen what happened to holy and historical sites in Iraq and Syria where Islamic State and Iran-backed Shia militias took over. We have also seen what the Wahhabi regime in KSA has done to Islamic holy sites present in Saudi Arabia over the years. Let’s face it: in the present environment, Israel is the best bet for Muslims to keep Al-Aqsa safe and functioning. The right approach for Pakistanis would be to recognize Israel and then to work with Israel to better protect and help in the functioning of Al-Aqsa. Presently the management of Al-Aqsa is the responsibility of the Jordan-backed Islamic Waqf but it is safe to say both Jordan and Israel will welcome any Pakistani help that is meant to be for the betterment of Al-Aqsa. Moreover, Pakistan can also work with Israel to make visiting Al-Aqsa a better experience for Pakistanis in particular. You can read more about this point in my previous article
here.
Conclusion:
Pakistan needs to take a rational approach towards Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem and should always remember that nothing can convince Israel to go against its own interests – something that is also true for Pakistan.
The arguments debunked above are four of the most used arguments by Pakistanis to argue against relations with Israel. None of these arguments can stand up to scrutiny and honest debate. It is time for Pakistanis to dump these lame arguments and selfishly promote their national interests. It is vital for Pakistanis to understand that Pakistan is not an enemy of Israel and Israel is not the enemy of Pakistan, as Israeli PM Netanyahu rightly
said – much to the disappointment of Indians – during his visit to India. Pakistanis must understand that refusing to recognize Israel doesn’t make Israel go away, and vice versa. We are living in a global village where both Pakistan and Israel are part of China’s One Belt One Road Initiative and will sooner or later need to build ties if they want to benefit to the maximum from the Chinese project. In a world where even sworn enemies that are at war keep a line of communication active, Pakistan and Israel not having ties is simply not a viable option anymore. There is no good logical reason why both countries should not have relations. The time for this debate is here and it is now.
. why you always bring Middle east countries and keep comparing things? wrong would always be wrong.
