On August 8, a day after Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan announced the formation of a joint defence pact, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif spoke bluntly. Claiming that Israel is an “illegitimate state” and a “threat to the entire Muslim world,” he called for a “united military front” against the Jewish state.

Asif’s inflammatory comments, which may be an accurate barometer of Muslim public opinion, were hardly surprising.

Several months ago, as Pakistan attempted to mediate an agreement to end the war between the United States and Iran, he branded Israel as an evil “cancerous state” and “a curse for humanity.”

Since its creation in 1947, Pakistan has been hostile to Israel and has never considered forging formal diplomatic relations with it. Pakistan’s position is clear. Pakistan will not recognize Israel unless it accedes to the creation of a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In the meantime, Pakistan and its two Sunni Muslim partners share concerns over Israel’s expanding military strength and reach. But they are also concerned by the regional influence of Iran, the preeminent Shi’a Muslim state in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia, the seat of Islam, particularly views Iran with a jaundiced eye. Especially since the eruption of the Iran war last winter, Saudi Arabia has come under constant attack by Iran and its proxy, the Houthis of Yemen.

Pakistan and Turkey do not regard Iran as a threat. Pakistan’s primary foe is India, an ally of Israel. Turkey’s main enemy, the Kurds, demand statehood within Turkish boundaries.

Of the three signatories, only Turkey has diplomatic ties with Israel. With the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip in 2023, Turkey’s relationship with Israel deteriorated........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)