Pakistan’s Foreign Policy towards the Arab–Israel Conflict: A Historical Overview (1947–Present)

Abstract

Foreign policy of Pakistan when it comes to the Arab-Israel conflict is rooted in history and it goes back to the formation of Pakistan in 1947. In the first part of the twentieth century, Muslim politics in the Indian subcontinent especially the All-India Muslim League (AIML) greatly resisted the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine after the Balfour Declaration of 1917. Muslim leaders considered Palestine as a holy land and Muslims and their leaders were worried about political and religious overtones of Zionist ambitions. The Muslim League always advocated the view of the Arabs and condemned the British policies that were seen to encourage formation of Israel. High-profile leaders such as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and other Muslim leaders, highlighted the unity with the Arab world and the Palestine issue was discussed as the question of Muslim unity and religious duty. Interestingly, the position of the Arabs was also supported by many Indian political figures such as Mahatma Gandhi who also reflected the rest of the consensus in the subcontinent during that period. Premature involvements of the Zionist representatives and leaders in the Indian subcontinent had tried to manipulate the masses with little success since there was still a sense of pro-Arabism. Historical developments played a major role in the foreign policy of Pakistan, and the foreign policy has been very active in supporting self-determination of Palestinians and opposing Israeli rule in Palestinian lands.

Keywords: Pakistan Foreign Policy, Arab–Israel Conflict, Palestine Issue, Balfour Declaration, All India Muslim League, Zionism