Israel-Arab Normalization: Reflections from Pakistan

The Palestinian-Arab conflict has always expressed itself in the politics and imagination of the people of Pakistan. Pakistan has not recognized the state of Israel and advocates for the creation of a Palestinian state. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has gone down to the public rhetoric where the people have strong opinions on the issue. The recent establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and some Arab states has posed some serious questions for Pakistan’s policymakers: Should Pakistan recognize Israel too if Arab Muslim states recognize it? What would be the reaction of people to such a change in Pakistan’s historic position on the issue, if there is any? These questions have generated some debates among the intellectuals and invited some reactions from different political forces and the common public. This paper is an attempt to survey Pakistan’s stance on the issue and explore the kind of debate among the intellectual circles and the public at large.