Israel and Pakistan - A worrying nexus

A few days ago, an op-ed by prominent British journalist Robert Fisk on Indo-Israeli military cooperation exposed the common ground between the two countries and how it may have played its part in the recent air strikes undertaken by India. Frisk has also confirmed that defence ties between New Delhi and Tel Aviv have strengthened in recent years including sophisticated training and arms trade.

Historically, India had distanced itself from cosying up with Israel owing to political and economic factors in the Middle East. But, with the onset of globalisation and trade liberalisation in the 1990s, their relationship boomed owing to both states’ upward trajectory as regional powerhouses.

India, being a large arms client, sought to modernise its armed forces to counter states such as Pakistan and China in the neighbourhood. Ideologically, the incumbent Indian and Israeli leadership believe in supremacy of their respective religious identities that also shape their political aspirations. Hindutva and Zionism have never been so close. Ironically Hindu extremists have time and again shown their admiration for Adolf Hitler and the Nazi tactics. But we do live in interesting times.

Pakistan’s decision to boycott the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) 46th session may have been an ill-conceived idea, but it did yield some results in terms of acknowledging New Delhi’s acts of violence and state-sanctioned human rights abuses in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK).

Pakistan could have used the OIC as a platform to corner the Indian delegation in an effective manner, especially considering its alliance with Israel.

The platform, regardless of its objectives, has become rudderless, to say the least. Just like SAARC, it has deep internal cracks due to the rivalries in the Middle East. All states have interests which do bind them together but their individual agendas make collective action weaker. Perhaps, the time has come to reform OIC and speak as one voice.

Having said that Israel and Pakistan are not enemies, barring the ideological differences. Benjamin Netanyahu has opened doors for Islamabad from time to time, but the domestic political environment of Pakistan are some of the key hindrances.

The honeymoon period between New Delhi and Tel Aviv may have become stronger but perhaps a time may come when Islamabad opens its doors to the Israelis on pragmatic grounds. Gen Musharraf has been arguing in favour of a policy shift. Perhaps the Parliament could initiate a debate on our relationship with Israel and forge a national consensus on how to tackle the challenge of India-Israel nexus.