ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, on Thursday ruled out any possibility of recognizing Israel, calling it an “illegal state” during a meeting with Palestinian envoy Dr. Zuhair Muhammad Hamdallah Zaid, as he reaffirmed his country’s longstanding position on the issue.
The comments come amid a debate on social media over whether Pakistan might be moving closer to joining the Abraham Accords, a US-brokered framework that has seen several Muslim-majority countries normalize relations with Israel since 2020.
The speculation was stirred in the wake of the recent high-level engagements between Pakistani officials and members of US President Donald Trump’s administration.
“There has never been, and will never be, any recognition of Israel,” Yousaf said during the meeting, according to a statement by the religious affairs ministry. “Israel is an illegal state, and Pakistan has always condemned its oppression of the innocent Palestinian people.”
Pakistan has continued its vocal criticism of Israeli policies in recent weeks, especially in light of Tel Aviv’s military operations in Gaza and recent clash with Iran.
