In 1947, Israel’s founder, David Ben Gurion sent a telegram to Muhammad Ali Jinnah in an attempt to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan. The telegram was initially ignored and to date, Pakistan still refuses to recognise Israel as a state.

Ben Gurion was allegedly quoted in The Jewish Chronicle in 1967 on his view of Pakistan:

The world Zionist movement should not be neglectful of the dangers of Pakistan to it. And Pakistan now should be its first target, for this ideological state is a threat to our existence. And Pakistan, the whole of it, hates the Jews and loves the Arabs. This lover of the Arabs is more dangerous to us than the Arabs themselves. For that matter, it is most essential for the world Zionism that it should now take immediate steps against Pakistan.

Whereas the inhabitants of the Indian peninsula are Hindus whose hearts have been full of hatred towards Muslims, therefore, India is the most important base for us to work from against Pakistan. It is essential that we exploit this base and strike and crush Pakistanis, enemies of Jews and Zionism, by all disguised and secret plans.

This famous quote has never been verified and many Israeli academics dispute its authenticity. However, it is a well-known fact that Israel is not favoured by Pakistan. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the recent blog published on The Express Tribune about Israel.

Over the years, I have heard many arguments regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict. From holding Hamas and Fatah accountable for internal bickering between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, to blaming all Arabs for being arrogant towards south-east Asians as a whole – therefore the Palestinians deserve the unrest and the injustice. And above all the arguments is the one that takes the lead; Jews have the biblical right to a land that was promised to them by God.
To explain these reasons to a Palestinian living off UN handouts in a refugee camp in Lebanon or Jordan would be an insult and borderline insensitive. Imagine having your culture and livelihood taken from you and being expelled from your land. Or, to be degraded daily by the Israel Defence Force in checkpoints strewn across the occupied West Bank and have your child shot by Israeli extremist settlers in Nablus.

Human rights violations are rife despite Israel portraying itself as the beacon of freedom in the eyes of the international community. Israel would have you believe that Palestinians are all terrorists and it’s only defending its citizens from suicide bombers and Islamic extremists.

The reality however is very different.

There is a wide misconception that the clash over the holy land is solely between Muslims and Jews. There are over 300,000 Palestinian Christians in the disputed territories, along with many more living abroad. They too are discriminated against equally as their Muslim counterparts. Israel uses sophisticated lobbying from institutions such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to portray Palestine as the aggressor.

Then comes the question, ‘Would it be in Pakistan’s interest to recognise Israel, like countries who already have such as Egypt and Jordan?’

If not for economic stability, then maybe to increase its list of allies?

I would have to say no.

Not because of the Muslims versus Jews debate, or the ties many people have to the third most holiest site in Islam, Al-Aqsa Mosque, but based more on a human level.

If it was the other way around and Palestinians were occupying a land by killing innocent civilians and begrudging them their basic human rights in the 21st century, I would reiterate my decision regardless of religion or race.

We cannot let our names represent an apartheid regime and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people. We should push for peace in one of the most complex conflicts of our time, and simultaneously hold Israel accountable for its actions – something which the UN repeatedly fails to do.

I must also emphasise that I’m not anti-semetic and I don’t agree that Jews are our enemies either. Zionism and Judaism are two very different concepts. To simplify things, all monotheistic beliefs are from the same maker which renders the fight over religion pointless; hate will only brew more hate.

This is a fight for human rights who everyone has the right to defend.

Pakistan itself has a tainted slate when it comes to human rights. But it wouldn’t get any closer to making amends by forming an alliance with Israel either. And as for improving Pakistan’s image externally, well maybe we should focus on procuring a change from within first and then worry about what image others have of us.

Express Tribune Blogs

I think Pakistan should recognize Israel as a state, regardless of whatever we say/think/do, facts wont change and the fact is that Israel is indeed an independent state which deserves respect and recognition just like any other state on the face of the earth.

The thing is, that Palestinians sold A LOT of land to the jews and the jews bought it very LEGALLY and started their development, It was ONLY after israel being given independence, that the Palestinians started to raise their voice because they were surprised by the formation of a jewish state however they did not bothered when they sold massive amount of lands to them and themselves happily moved to the ayashi center of then to live a luxurious life.

I agree that the Israelis started to push palestinians back after they were given independence and by then they stop buying lands because they didn't need to "BUY" anymore as the mission of achieving a jewish state was already accomplished

An optimum solution would be, Israel giving up the post 6 days war occupied areas and palestinians recognizing Israel as a state. I think israel would happily agree to the solution if and only if Palestine recognize it as a state deserving unconditional right to exist.

Moreover, there are states which according to your own definition and understand of "ZALIM" are more "ZALIM" than Israel itself but we do have diplomatic relations with them and so much so that we cant even survive without their Money so then why the double standards?

In short, we have NEVER been in a direct conflict with Israel, we should not make our opinion just on one ALLEGED statement that isn't even proven to have been said.. Moreover, how would pakistan treat a nation when they do not recognize us? If countries with whom they were in direct conflict can recognize them and have diplomatic relations with them, then why not us? The only reason I see as to "Why not" is that our leaders are not bold enough or competent enough to take such a step because many political parties will start playing politics and will create chaos in the country.. so perhaps national interest (avoiding public anger, chaos) is the ONLY reason we cant have diplomatic relations with them but then again it means that we have no ACTUAL leaders who can take bold steps

And Wait.. I am not a Zionist

Welcome to the real world brother, where might is right. Israel commands respect and influence across the Western world and Pakistan would do well to be allied with this "apartheid" regime as you call it. By the way, what do you think of Syria where civilians are being massacred as we speak, just to keep a madmen in power. And Bahrain, where peaceful protesters were ruthlessly crushed last year?

I don't think if U.S is going to let this happen.

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Ali da malang.

Don't get so optimistic, Israel uses sophisticated phosphorus and sulphur weapons against innocent people and you are considering her an ally?? O bas bhai jan!! bohat hogaya Allies ka play, a deveil like USA is enough to be an ally.

Apna image theek krna hai tou corruption ko khatam kro aur insaf k liye fight krny walay CJ k khilaf Malik Riaz ki tarah k ghatiya logon ki conspiracy ko realise kro..

Hundreds of innocents have been killed in Syria, yet we maintain diplomatic relations...

By the way, we also use sophisticated weapons in Masjids (Lal Masjid issue). Pakistan and Israel are so similar they should be best buddies.

you are! i think.
Zionist is a supporter of Zionism, and Zionism is a movement to establish a Jewish state.
and you are in favor of Israel.

if some countries are accepting israel this doesn't mean that pakistan should do the same because we formed this country on the name of islam -isn't this a fact? and indian muslims were the one who protested in favor khilafat movement -i am referring to that movement just to highlight our sentiments and destiny that is islam.
aren't we friend of america but what extra ordinary happened after this freindship that we can hope will happen again after being friend or accepting israel.
i have heard there is a verse that yahoodo o nasara can't be friend of us. is it true? if it is then how can we be friend with them when quran stops? obviously they will ask acceptance of israel if we will be friend with them.
and this is not a problem of land or buying house. it is religious -that is why there were crusades and there are jihads.

now wait again i am not zaid hamid

__________________
hazrat umer (r.a)
"kam bolna hikmat, kam khana sihat aur kam sona ibadat hai"

Well I condemn any kind of violence whether done by the Muslims or any one else. So we used weapons against mosque means we are under compulsion to establish relations with Israel?
It's not just use of weapons that determines diplomacy. see we have relations with India despite of what is being done by her to jannat nazeer "Kashmir"

Why are Jews so powerful and Muslims so powerless?
by Dr. Farrukh Saleem
January 8, 2010

(Dr. Farrukh Saleem is a Pakistani journalist and political analyst who is currently also the executive director of the Center for Research and Security Studies, a think tank focusing on Pakistan's political and economic security, as well as regional and environmental issues. Originally a financial professional by occupation, he managed an eight figure equities portfolio invested in the New York Stock Exchange between the years 1988 and 1994.

Saleem has been a columist for The News International, Pakistan's largest English-language daily, for over 5 years. Prior to that, he wrote weekly columns for the Dawn newspaper in 1996. Throughout 1996, he also worked as a correspondent on issues related to Pakistan, India and Iran for the Vancouver Sun, a Canadian newspaper. Farrukh Saleem has additionally been a guest columnist for the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review. He has served in capacity as the CEO of Dominion Stock Funds Limited, a KSE-listed company, and currently lives in Islamabad.)


There are only 14 million Jews in the world; seven million in the Americas, five million in Asia, two million in Europe and 100,000 in Africa. For every single Jew in the world there are 100 Muslims. Yet, Jews are more than a hundred times more powerful than all the Muslims put together. Ever wondered why?
Jesus of Nazareth was Jewish. Albert Einstein, the most influential scientist of all time and TIME magazine's 'Person of the Century', was a Jew. Sigmund Freud - ego, superego - the father of psychoanalysis was a Jew. So were Karl Marx, Paul Samuelson and Milton Friedman.

Here are a few other Jews whose intellectual output has enriched the whole of humanity: Benjamin Rubin gave humanity the vaccinating needle. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine. Alert Sabin developed the improved live polio vaccine. Gertrude Elion gave us a leukemia-fighting drug. Baruch Blumberg developed the vaccination for Hepatitis B. Paul Ehrlich discovered a treatment for syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease). Elie Metchnikoff won a Nobel Prize in infectious diseases.

Bernard Katz won a Nobel Prize in neuromuscular transmission. Andrew Schally won a Nobel in endocrinology (disorders of the endocrine system; diabetes, hyperthyroidism). Aaron Beck founded Cognitive Therapy (psychotherapy to treat mental disorders, depression and phobias). Gregory Pincus developed the first oral contraceptive pill. George Wald won a Nobel for furthering our understanding of the human eye. Stanley Cohen won a Nobel in embryology (study of embryos and their development). Willem Kolff came up with the kidney dialysis machine.

Over the past 105 years, 14 million Jews have won 180 Nobel Prizes while only 3 Nobel Prizes have been won by 1.4 billion Muslims (other than Peace Prizes).
Why are Jews so powerful? Stanley Mezor invented the first micro-processing chip. Leo Szilard developed the first nuclear chain reactor; Peter Schultz, the optical fibre cable; Charles Adler - traffic lights; Benno Strauss - stainless steel; Isador Kisee - sound movies; Emile Berliner - the telephone microphone and Charles Ginsburg - the videotape recorder.

Famous financiers in the business world who belong to the Jewish faith include Ralph Lauren (Polo), Levis Strauss (Levi's Jeans), Howard Schultz (Starbuck's) , Sergey Brin (Google), Michael Dell (Dell Computers), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Donna Karan (DKNY), Irv Robbins (Baskins & Robbins) and Bill Rosenberg (Dunkin Donuts).

Richard Levin, President of Yale University, is a Jew. So are Henry Kissinger (American secretary of state), Alan Greenspan (Federal Chairman of Banking under Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush, Jr.), Joseph Lieberman, Senator, Madeleine Albright (former Secretary of State), Maxim Litvinov (USSR Foreign Minister), David Marshal (Singapore's first Chief Minister), Issac Isaacs (Governor-General of Australia), Benjamin Disraeli (British statesman and author), Yevgeny Primakov (Russian Prime Minister), Jorge Sampaio (President of Portugal), Herb Gray (Canadian Deputy Prime Minister), Pierre Mendes (French Prime Minister), Michael Howard (British Home Secretary), Bruno Kreisky (Chancellor of Austria) and Robert Rubin (former Secretary of the Treasury).

In the media, famous Jews include Wolf Blitzer (CNN), Barbara Walters (ABC News), Eugene Meyer (Washington Post), Henry Grunwald (Editor-in-Chief of Time Magazine), Katherine Graham (publisher of The Washington Post), Joseph Lelyyeld (Executive Editor, The New York Times), and Max Frankel (New York Times).

Can you name the most beneficent philanthropist in the history of the world? The name is George Soros, a Jew, who has so far donated a colossal $4 billion; most of which has gone as aid to scientists and universities around the world. Second to George Soros is Walter Annenberg, another Jew, who has built a hundred libraries by donating an estimated $2 billion.

At the Olympics, Mark Spitz set a record of sorts by wining seven gold medals. Lenny Krayzelburg is a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Spitz, Krayzelburg and Boris Becker (Tennis) are all Jewish.

Did you know that Harrison Ford, George Burns, Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson, Sandra Bullock, Barbra Streisand, Billy Crystal, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Peter Sellers, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas, Ben Kingsley, Kirk Douglas, William Shatner, Jerry Lewis and Peter Falk are all Jewish?

As a matter of fact, Hollywood itself was founded by a Jew. Among directors and producers, Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Oliver Stone, Aaron Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210), Neil Simon (The Odd Couple), Andrew Vaina (Rambo's 1, 2 and 3), Michael Mann (Starsky and Hutch), Milos Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), Douglas Fairbanks (The Thief of Baghdad) and Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) are all Jewish.

To be certain, Washington is the capital that matters and in Washington the lobby that matters is The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. Washington knows that if PM Ehud Olmert were to discover that the earth is flat, AIPAC will make the 109th Congress pass a resolution congratulating Olmert on his discovery.

William James Sidis, with an IQ of 250-300, is the brightest human who ever existed. Guess what faith did he belong to?

So, why are Jews so powerful?
Answer: Education!

Why are Muslims so powerless?

There are an estimated 1,476,233,470 Muslims on the face of the planet: one billion in Asia, 400 million in Africa, 44 million in Europe and six million in the Americas. Every fifth human being is a Muslim. For every single Hindu there are two Muslims, for every Buddhist there are two Muslims and for every Jew there are one hundred Muslims. Ever wondered why Muslims are so powerless?
Here is why: There are 57 member-countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), and all of them put together have around 500 universities; one university for every three million Muslims. The United States has 5,758 universities (1 for every 57,000 Americans) and India has 8,407. In 2004, Shanghai Jiao Tong University compiled an 'Academic Ranking of World Universities', and intriguingly, not one university from Muslim-majority states was in the top 500.

As per data collected by the UNDP, literacy in the Christian world stands at nearly 90 per cent and 15 Christian-majority states have a literacy rate of 100 per cent. A Muslim-majority state, as a sharp contrast, has an average literacy rate of around 40 per cent and there is no Muslim-majority state with a literacy rate of 100 per cent. Some 98 per cent of the 'literates' in the Christian world had completed primary school, while less than 50 per cent of the 'literates' in the Muslim world did the same. Around 40 per cent of the 'literates' in the Christian world attended university while no more than two per cent of the 'literates' in the Muslim world did the same.

Muslim-majority countries have 230 scientists per one million Muslims. The U.S. has 4,000 scientists per million and Japan has 5,000 per million. In the entire Arab world, the total number of full-time researchers is 35,000 and there are only 50 technicians per one million Arabs (in the Christian world there are up to 1,000 technicians per one million). Furthermore, the Muslim world spends 0.2 per cent of its GDP on research and development, while the Christian world spends around five per cent of its GDP.

Conclusion: The Muslim world lacks the capacity to produce knowledge.
Daily newspapers per 1,000 people and number of book titles per million are two indicators of whether knowledge is being diffused in a society. In Pakistan, there are 23 daily newspapers per 1,000 Pakistanis while the same ratio in Singapore is 360. In the UK, the number of book titles per million stands at 2,000 while the same in Egypt is 20.

Conclusion: The Muslim world is failing to diffuse knowledge.

Exports of high technology products as a percentage of total exports are an important indicator of knowledge application. Pakistan's exports of high technology products as a percentage of total exports stands at one per cent. The same for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait , Morocco , and Algeria (are all at 0.3 per cent) while Singapore is at 58 per cent.

Conclusion: The Muslim world is failing to apply knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't producing knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't diffusing knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't applying knowledge.

And, the future belongs to knowledge-based societies.

Interestingly, the combined annual GDP of 57 OIC-countries is under $2 trillion. America, just by herself, produces goods and services worth $12 trillion; China - $8 trillion, Japan - $3.8 trillion and Germany - $2.4 trillion (purchasing power parity basis).

Oil rich Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar collectively produce goods and services (mostly oil) worth $500 billion; Spain alone produces goods and services worth over $1 trillion; Catholic Poland - $489 billion and Buddhist Thailand - $545 billion. Muslim GDP, as a percentage of worlds GDP, is fast declining.

So, why are Muslims so powerless?
Answer: Lack of education!

All we do is shouting to Allah the whole day and blame everyone else for our multiple failures.

Opinion expressed in this article is solely of the author.

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“A Momin does not taunt, does not curse and reproach, does not indulge in obscene talking and obscene acts.” [Tirmidhi]

This country was created by Quaid E Azam so Muslims would not be prosecuted. That does not necessarily mean that it was created in the name of Islam and there's plenty of evidence that the Quaid wanted it to be secular. Indeed, it was more or less secular until Zia came along and ruined everything.

And by the way, the Khilafat movement was a major embarrassment; the Turks didn't even want the caliphate and the idiots in the Subcontinent were protesting for it not to bee abolished. Keep in mind that the Quaid did NOT support the Khilafat Movement.

You mentioned the Crusades; I would suggest that you do some research. You will find that beneath the religious rhetoric, there were many others reason for the crusades, foremost among was the lust for land and money. Indeed, as the Crusader Kingdoms sprang up, many warlords became immensely wealthy.


Then please tell me why we shouldn't establish relations with Israel. You said that Israel uses sophisticated weapons against innocents. I pointed out that s do we (plus other Muslim nations with whom we have relations). Then you yourself said that we have diplomatic relations with India in spite of our problems, so WHY NOT relations with Israel?