Pakistan’s defense minister drew sharp condemnation after calling Israel “evil” and a “curse for humanity” in a social media post, a day before U.S.-Iran talks were set to begin in Islamabad.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif wrote Thursday that “Israel is evil and a curse for humanity,” accusing it of carrying out “genocide” in Lebanon and saying violence had spread from Gaza to Iran and now Lebanon.
“I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European Jews burn in hell,” he added.
The remarks prompted a strong response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which called them “outrageous” and said such statements were unacceptable from any government, particularly one presenting itself as a neutral mediator.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar described the comments as “clear antisemitic blood libels,” adding that referring to the Jewish state as a “cancer” amounts to a call for its destruction.
Asif also repeated criticism of Israel in a speech to Pakistan’s parliament, saying the Muslim world must recognize India and Israel as its “true and eternal enemies,” and claiming Israel’s influence extends beyond the Middle East.
The comments came as Pakistan prepares to host talks between the United States and Iran, positioning itself as a central mediator in efforts to end the war. The first round of negotiations was expected to begin Friday in Islamabad.
Pakistan has sought to maintain a neutral role in the conflict and is one of the few U.S. allies in the region not targeted by Iran during the war, in part because it does not host American military bases.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the ceasefire earlier this week and invited both sides to continue negotiations in Islamabad, expressing hope the talks would lead to lasting peace.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts have been led in part by army chief Gen. Asim Munir, widely seen as the country’s de facto leader, who maintains ties with both Iranian officials and U.S. President Donald Trump.