Pakistan Defence Minister Rejects Trump's Request to Recognise Israel, Cites Ideological Stance

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has rejected normalising relations with the Israeli regime. His statement followed US President Donald Trump’s urging of regional countries to reach reconciliation deals with Tel Aviv as part of the Iran agreement. Speaking to Pakistan’s Samaa TV on Monday, Asif said Pakistan should not support any agreement conflicting with the nation’s foundational ideology. The remarks came when asked about the possibility of Pakistan joining the so-called Abraham Accords. ‘How can you sit with people whose words cannot be trusted even for a day?’ he said, as reported by Press TV. He reiterated Islamabad’s longstanding position on the regime, stating: ‘We have a very clear stance that this is unacceptable to us.’ Referring to Pakistan’s passport policy, he added that the country has never listed Israel’s name. ‘We are the only country whose passports do not even mention Israel,’ he said. Previously, Trump called for more countries to follow the example of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which have signed reconciliation deals with Tel Aviv. He suggested these nations join the ‘Abraham Accords’ before any Iran-US agreement is reached. Trump said the expansion of the deal should begin with immediate signings by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with all other countries following suit. ‘All these countries must sign the Abraham Accords at least simultaneously,’ he said.