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Pakistanis agree to accept aid from Israel
By Harvey Morris in Jerusalem
Published: October 15 2005 03:00 | Last updated: October 15 2005 03:00
Pakistan has agreed to accept aid from Israel for the first time as part of an international relief effort for survivors of the south Asia earthquake, in a further sign of warming relations between the two states
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said officials would be discussing over the weekend the scale and nature of the contribution, which would probably be dispatched through a third party such as the United Nations.
The Israeli government offered assistance immediately after the disaster struck a week ago but a spokesman said it was only yesterday that it received official word from Islamabad that Pakistan would accept it. "The fact that there is a channel of communication is a sign of the times," said Mark Regev at the Foreign Ministry. Although it was too late for Pakistan to take advantage of Israel's expertise in search and rescue operations, he said an aid package could include items such as blankets, tents and food.
The two states do not have diplomatic relations, a situation that Pakistani officials say would not change until the creation of a Palestinian state. However, in the weeks leading up to the earthquake there were signs of a rapprochement, linked to Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
The thaw began with a meeting in Istanbul on September 1 between Silvan Shalom, Israeli foreign minister, and Khurshid Kasouri, his Pakistani counterpart. Two weeks later, Ariel Sharon, Israeli prime minister, and Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani president, shook hands and exchanged greetings at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The meetings came in the context of Israeli efforts to gain a diplomatic benefit from the Gaza withdrawal by improving ties with Islamic and Arab states traditionally hostile to Israel.
Mr Shalom, whose government has close ties with India, said last month that Israel had never regarded Pakistan as an enemy; nor did it believe the Pakistani nuclear arms programme was directed against Israel.
President Musharraf has said he regards the Gaza withdrawal as a positive step but that an improvement in ties with Israel will be a step-by step process. In a speech last month to the American Jewish Congress he stressed that Pakistan had no direct conflict or dispute with Israel. Commentators in Pakistan said the president would be reluctant to court domestic opposition to closer ties with Israel by accepting relief supplies as a direct gift from the people of Israel and might prefer a financial contribution to an international fund.
The first signal of Pakistani willingness to accept Israeli aid was reported this week by Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress, which has already offered aid on behalf of the US Jewish community.
Israel routinely offers aid to the victims of natural disasters, including those states with which it does not have diplomatic relations.
By Harvey Morris in Jerusalem
Published: October 15 2005 03:00 | Last updated: October 15 2005 03:00
Pakistan has agreed to accept aid from Israel for the first time as part of an international relief effort for survivors of the south Asia earthquake, in a further sign of warming relations between the two states
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said officials would be discussing over the weekend the scale and nature of the contribution, which would probably be dispatched through a third party such as the United Nations.
The Israeli government offered assistance immediately after the disaster struck a week ago but a spokesman said it was only yesterday that it received official word from Islamabad that Pakistan would accept it. "The fact that there is a channel of communication is a sign of the times," said Mark Regev at the Foreign Ministry. Although it was too late for Pakistan to take advantage of Israel's expertise in search and rescue operations, he said an aid package could include items such as blankets, tents and food.
The two states do not have diplomatic relations, a situation that Pakistani officials say would not change until the creation of a Palestinian state. However, in the weeks leading up to the earthquake there were signs of a rapprochement, linked to Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
The thaw began with a meeting in Istanbul on September 1 between Silvan Shalom, Israeli foreign minister, and Khurshid Kasouri, his Pakistani counterpart. Two weeks later, Ariel Sharon, Israeli prime minister, and Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani president, shook hands and exchanged greetings at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The meetings came in the context of Israeli efforts to gain a diplomatic benefit from the Gaza withdrawal by improving ties with Islamic and Arab states traditionally hostile to Israel.
Mr Shalom, whose government has close ties with India, said last month that Israel had never regarded Pakistan as an enemy; nor did it believe the Pakistani nuclear arms programme was directed against Israel.
President Musharraf has said he regards the Gaza withdrawal as a positive step but that an improvement in ties with Israel will be a step-by step process. In a speech last month to the American Jewish Congress he stressed that Pakistan had no direct conflict or dispute with Israel. Commentators in Pakistan said the president would be reluctant to court domestic opposition to closer ties with Israel by accepting relief supplies as a direct gift from the people of Israel and might prefer a financial contribution to an international fund.
The first signal of Pakistani willingness to accept Israeli aid was reported this week by Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress, which has already offered aid on behalf of the US Jewish community.
Israel routinely offers aid to the victims of natural disasters, including those states with which it does not have diplomatic relations.
