JERUSALEM: Israel is working toward formalising relations with a fifth Muslim country, possibly in Asia, during US President Donald Trump’s term, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Wednesday, clarifying that the country was not Pakistan.
The White House has brokered rapprochements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco this year. Rabat hosted an Israeli-US delegation on Tuesday to flesh out the upgrade in relations.
Asked if a fifth country could sign up before Trump steps down on Jan 20, Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis told Israel’s Ynet TV: “We are working in that direction.”
“I believe ... there will be an American announcement about another country that is going public with the normalization of relations with Israel and, in essence, with the infrastructure for an accord — a peace accord,” he said.
Akunis said there were two main candidate countries to become the next to move toward normal ties with Israel.
He did not name either but said one is in the Gulf and could be Oman but would not be Saudi Arabia. The other, further to the east, is a “Muslim country that is not small” but is not Pakistan, Akunis said.
Administration officials have said they are trying to get more countries to recognize Israel or warm existing ties to it.
Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, said last week it would not recognize Israel as long as Palestinian statehood demands remain unmet. Malaysia and Pakistan have signalled a similar policy.
“Malaysia’s firm stance on the Palestinian issue will not change,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kamarudin Jaffar told the country’s senate on Wednesday, adding that Kuala Lumpur would not interfere in other nations’ decisions on Israel.
In Dhaka, a foreign ministry official said Bangladesh was not interested in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel. “Our position remains the same,” he told Reuters.
Oman has praised the US-brokered diplomatic drive but has not commented on its own prospects of forging Israel ties.
The Palestinians, whose negotiations with Israel stalled in 2014, fear being sidelined by the normalization process.
Fifth Muslim country likely to recognize Israel is not Pakistan — minister
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Fifth Muslim country likely to recognize Israel is not Pakistan — minister
- Israeli regional cooperation minister says there were two main candidates to become the next nations to move toward normal ties with Israel
- Says one is in the Gulf and could be Oman but would not be Saudi Arabia, other is further to the east but is not Pakistan
Bilateral trade, investment, defense in focus as Indonesian president visits Pakistan today
- President Prabowo Subianto will arrive on a two-day visit in Islamabad, leading high-level delegation of ministers, officials
- Indonesian president to hold delegation-level meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif, oversee signing of several agreements
ISLAMABAD: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Monday, on a two-day visit aimed at exploring new avenues of cooperation with Islamabad in trade, defense, investment, health, education and other sectors, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
This marks Subianto’s maiden visit to Pakistan and the first by an Indonesian president to the country since 2018. Subianto will arrive in Islamabad leading a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials, with his trip coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Jakarta.
Subianto will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will also meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during his two-day visit.
“The two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at further strengthening Pakistan-Indonesia relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation, including trade, investment, defense, health, IT, climate, education and culture, as well as enhancing collaboration at regional and global levels,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Sunday.
“Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit.”
Pakistan and Indonesia enjoy close, cordial and long-standing relations rooted in shared values and mutual interests. The foreign office said the Indonesian president’s visit will provide a key opportunity for both sides to deepen bilateral ties and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.
Indonesia is also home to a few hundred Pakistani expatriates, many of whom are engaged in businesses such as restaurants, the selling of hand-knotted carpets, precious stones, textile items and herbal medicines.
