For decades, Pakistani passports have carried a simple but striking inscription: “Valid for all countries of the world except Israel."
This position is more than a diplomatic formality. It reflects one of Pakistan’s longest-standing foreign policy principles: Pakistan does not recognise Israel.
Rooted in Pakistan's founding in 1947, this policy is reinforced by deep religious sentiment, a sensitive media ecosystem, successive governments' reluctance to challenge either, and a national consensus that views the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a historical injustice.
Now, this long-standing consensus is facing an unprecedented external test.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
