KARACHI: “Greatest mission that we have is to prevent militant Islamic regime from meeting up with nuclear weapons or from nuclear weapons meeting up with militant Islamic regime. First is called Iran, second is called Pakistan”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in interview to YouTube Web channel 2 of Israel on October 11, 2023. 

When asked, “What is biggest problem facing next generation and what should we do to solve it today?” Netanyahu said, “Iran and Pakistan and we have to avert these Islamic regimes”.

To counter his threat to security and sovereignty of Pakistan former COAS General (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg in his interview with ‘Raad News’ stated that Pakistan is only remedy to atrocities of Israel in Gaza. Pakistan is only atomic power in Islamic world. It could help out Hamas by providing anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons to counter massacres by Zionists.

This could be done only by our political leadership, but this leadership is afraid of United States’ wrath. We must remember that if today we don’t stand with Palestine, tomorrow we may also face same fate. They want to make greater Israel which could be expanded up to India.

However, most amazing factor was that this World View Interview with Benjamin Netanyahu has not been noticed by many of Pakistanis, they didn’t pay much attention. People who watched this video said let’s not forget when Netanyahu revealed his true targets. “First is called Iran and second is called Pakistan”.

Nikkei Asia reported from Islamabad on October 12, 2023 that Pakistan has responded to Israel-Hamas war with an unusually measured tone, standing out among Asia’s Muslim-majority countries and fueling speculation about chances of Islamabad someday normalising ties with Israel.

Pakistani government is typically harsh critic of Israel, with which it has no diplomatic relations and defender of Palestinian rights. But while countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia have pointedly blamed conflict on Israeli policy, Pakistan has so far taken softer approach.

As news broke of Hamas militants storming Israel on Saturday, interim Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar posted on X that he was “Heartbroken” by violence. “We urge restraint and protection of civilians. Enduring peace in Middle East lies in two-state solution with viable, contiguous, sovereign State of Palestine.”

This was noticeably milder than, for example, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s reaction tweet on Sunday, in which he wrote: “Confiscation of land and property belonging to Palestinian people is done relentlessly by Zionists. As result of this injustice, hundreds of innocent lives were sacrificed.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued its own cautious statement, saying, “We are closely monitoring unfolding situation in Middle East and eruption of hostilities between Israel and Palestinians. We are concerned about human cost of escalating situation.”

Rand analyst Derek Grossman noted on X, “Pakistan, which has been traditionally anti-Israel and pro-Palestine, interestingly goes easy on Israel, simply expressing concerns over escalating situation.”

Even Maulana Fazlur Rehman Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam asked ‘Palestinians to respect human rights of Israelis. This was unprecedented, since Islamist leaders in Pakistan are known for their staunch pro-Palestinian stance.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 18 2023

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