Pakistanis agree to accept aid from Israel
Financial Times reports Israeli officials to discuss over the weekend the scale and nature of the contribution, which would probably be dispatched through a third party such as the United Nations; Foreign Ministry spokesman: The fact that there is a channel of communication is a sign of the times
Pakistan has agreed to accept aid from Israel for the first time as part of an international relief effort for survivors of the south Asia earthquake, in a further sign of warming relations between the two states, the Financial Times reported Saturday.
According to the report, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said officials would be discussing over the weekend the scale and nature of the contribution, which would probably be dispatched through a third party such as the United Nations.
The Israeli government offered assistance immediately after the disaster struck a week ago but a spokesman said it was only yesterday that it received official word from Islamabad that Pakistan would accept it, the report said.
"The fact that there is a channel of communication is a sign of the times," said Mark Regev at the Foreign Ministry. Although it was too late for Pakistan to take advantage of Israel's expertise in search and rescue operations, he said an aid package could include items such as blankets, tents and food.
The two states do not have diplomatic relations, a situation that Pakistani officials say would not change until the creation of a Palestinian state. However, in the weeks leading up to the earthquake there were signs of a rapprochement, linked to Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
The thaw began with a meeting in Istanbul on September 1 between Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Khurshid Kasouri, his Pakistani counterpart. Two weeks later, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf shook hands and exchanged greetings at the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
The meetings came in the context of Israeli efforts to gain a diplomatic benefit from the Gaza withdrawal by improving ties with Islamic and Arab states traditionally hostile to Israel.
Following the meeting Shalom said that Israel had never regarded Pakistan as an enemy; nor did it believe the Pakistani nuclear arms program was directed against Israel.
He hailed the meeting as “historic” and said that following the Gaza withdrawal it is “the time for all of the Muslim and Arab countries to reconsider their relations with Israel.”
'Interests Office first'
He added that he hoped the meeting would eventually lead to full diplomatic relations with Pakistan.
“Pakistan took a very brave step; they know they will be harshly criticized,” Shalom said at the time.
“By the way, they have informed the Palestinians regarding these latest moves. I am sure that this meeting will be followed by more meetings in the future. We hope that finally it will lead to full diplomatic relations with Pakistan as we would like it with all Muslim and Arab countries."
President Musharraf has said he regards the Gaza withdrawal as a positive step but that an improvement in ties with Israel will be a step-by step process.
In a speech last month to the American Jewish Congress he stressed that Pakistan had no direct conflict or dispute with Israel. Commentators in Pakistan said the president would be reluctant to court domestic opposition to closer ties with Israel by accepting relief supplies as a direct gift from the people of Israel and might prefer a financial contribution to an international fund.
As to Musharraf’s statement that Israel and Pakistan would not establish diplomatic relations until a Palestinian state is created, Israeli government officials said there are many steps prior to the establishment of diplomatic relations, such as the opening of a joint Interests Office, similar to the one Israel has in Qatar.
The first signal of Pakistani willingness to accept Israeli aid was reported this week by Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress, which has already offered aid on behalf of the US Jewish community.
Israel routinely offers aid to the victims of natural disasters, including those states with which it does not have diplomatic relations.
