A recent report in The Times of Israel has stirred considerable interest: Israeli defense officials told lawmakers that the planned international stabilization force for post-war Gaza may include troops from Pakistan, alongside Indonesia and Azerbaijan.

If confirmed, this would mark more than just a security contribution — it would signal a profound shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy and global outlook.

For observers of Islamabad’s diplomacy, such reports are unprecedented. Even without official confirmation, the mere mention of Pakistan’s involvement reflects a quiet but significant recalibration of how the country positions itself in the modern world.

For years, Pakistan’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was performative at best—loud declarations of solidarity coupled with strategic paralysis. The official stance was unambiguous: no recognition, no engagement, no compromise. It was a policy that satisfied domestic constituencies and aligned with a broader Islamic bloc narrative, but it achieved precious little in advancing either Palestinian welfare or Pakistan’s own interests.

What’s unfolding now is different — quieter, less dramatic, yet far more meaningful. Pakistan seems to be shifting from the sidelines to a central role in regional peace efforts, relying on steady diplomacy rather than spectacle.

The Gaza stabilization plan, shaped through U.S.-mediated talks in 2024 among eight nations focused on post-war recovery and security, appears to have deliberately included Pakistan. It reflected a

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)