ISLAMABAD: A spokesman for Pakistan’s foreign office on Thursday reiterated that Pakistan’s position on the state of Israel, which Pakistan does not recognize, remained unchanged, while responding to questions about a Pakistani Jew who says he has received a go-ahead from Islamabad to apply for a visa to Israel.
Pakistan does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and has been a staunch supporter of demands for a Palestinian state.
Fishel Benkhald, 30, a resident of Karachi, posted on Twitter on Wednesday that he had been informed by the foreign office that he could apply for an Israeli visa on his Pakistani passport, adding that he would now reach out to the Israeli embassy for the travel endorsement.
But during a press briefing on Thursday, foreign office spokesman Dr. Mohammed Faisal said Pakistan’s position on Israel remained unchanged.
“Our position on Israel remains unchanged,” the spokesman said, declining to give details of Benkhald’s correspondence with the foreign office.
Another foreign ministry official who declined to be named said someone in the foreign ministry had made a mistake and clearly misled Benkhald. “Legally there is no way he can be allowed to get an Israel visa on our passport,” the official said.
But Benkhald insists he has been in touch with the foreign office throughout January and received a call from a director at the ministry of foreign affairs who told him he could apply for an Israel visa, and also suggested that he visit the Palestinian Embassy in Islamabad.
Israeli authorities have been in contact with me for over five years, Benkhald said.
Benkhald, the first Pakistani of Jewish faith allowed to record his religion on his national identity card, said he wants to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover or Pesach in Isarel this April without the risk of persecution from Pakistan.
Born to a Jewish mother and a Muslim father, Benkhald opted to embrace Judaism and later chose the Yiddish name Fischel. His quest to obtain permission to travel to the state of Israel for worship began in 2013.
The number of Jews living in Pakistan has declined since 1947. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, only around 900 Jews were registered voters in 2017.
Husni Muhammad Mustafa, a first secretary, at the Palestine embassy said Benkhald had not contacted the embassy: “Palestine is under occupation by Israel” and its mission in Islamabad “is not in a position to issue visas.”
