ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said it will not join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states, rejecting any suggestion that its recent joining of the Gaza Board of Peace signaled a change in its longstanding position on Israel.
The Abraham Accords are a series of US-brokered agreements signed in 2020 that established diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. By contrast, the Gaza Board of Peace is a diplomatic initiative focused on supporting a ceasefire, humanitarian assistance and post-war reconstruction in Gaza, and does not involve recognition of Israel or security commitments.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif joined the Gaza Board of Peace earlier this month alongside other world leaders, prompting speculation that Islamabad’s involvement could be linked to broader regional normalization efforts. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently said it will not normalize ties without a just resolution of the Palestinian issue.
“It is a misconception that joining the Board of Peace is in any way connected to any Abraham Accords or any side draft to this issue. Pakistan’s positions remain unchanged and we will not become a party to the Abraham accord,” Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters at a weekly briefing.
