Former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf told an Israel-based newspaper in an interview on Saturday that he was in favour of Pakistan reviewing its relationship with Israel, saying it would benefit the country.
“Israel is a fait accompli and a lot of the Muslim world have understood that and I know many Muslim countries have relations with Israel, whether above board or covertly. So this is the change in reality I am talking about,” said Musharraf.
He said like Israel, Pakistan was an ideological state. “That is the foundation of our creation. We are an Islamic republic, which goes toward explaining why Pakistani Muslims are much more sensitive about Islam than most other Muslim countries. We are extremely sensitive about desecration of the Quran. So we are wholly sensitive to the Palestinian plight, and any new initiative regarding Israel has to be proposed very delicately,” said the former president, who seized power in a bloodless military coup in October 1999.
When asked about his offer to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Musharraf said it was at the root many of today’s bigger problems. “Look at terrorism and extremism, 9/11, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas – all these are products of the unsettled Palestinian dispute.
Because of the misery these Palestinians are suffering, which is seen all over the world on TV, there is a reaction,” he added.
He also said the United States’s pro-Israel policies propelled on-the-defensive Muslims into guerrilla warfare.
Israel is the aggressor. History abounds with the examples of troubles and conspiracies created by them. No thank you. Presently, please learn to live without them and solve the problems existing rather than create new ones. Salams
Living in the present World Pakistan have to accept Israel as a Sovereign State (we are not living in history; facts are changed) but there must be some bargaining about Palestinian rights…..
i could not agree with you more.We cannot and should not live in the calcified history.As far the rights of Palestinians are concerned they themselves bartered them away in the Oslo Peace Agreement! Entering into negotiations without doing justice to your cause tantamounts to surrender in disguise. This is what the palestinians did.The word State for them was never mentioned. Beleive me i was there.! We should certainly support them like other arab countries supported us regarding Kashmir.! Let us have a debate about Israel.The jews have made deserts bloom. Pakistan and israel are almost of same age.Where are We? Thanks Former President for having the courage to bring up the subject!
just one more thing i would like to add is Pakistan alone should not support Israel it would only make things worse for Pakistan in Muslim World; Muslim block should be together….
After starting on such a promising discussion you have yourselv slipped back into the classical "Muslim World" It is a figure of imagination. Where was the muslim world when Pakistan needed them them in hours of crisis? Religion is not enough in international affairs. Need examples?
the Pakistan we know is emotional about Israel and anyone who takes its side, we know very well how it will b treated em talking about solving a problem, not making it worse, we don't want rallies on the street do we…!!!! we should talk in a language which is understood, at-least i believe…
So sick & pathetic!! We still listen, talk and argue on what Musharraf says
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