Is Imran Khan really pro-Israel?

ISLAMABAD: Is it a coincidence or part of a coordinated plan that Israeli media is publishing pro-Imran Khan articles?

What is the reason behind these articles advocating for Imran Khan’s release, and why is he being portrayed as sympathetic to Israel?

A significant number of intelligentsias, independent commentators and anti-PTI politicians believe that the recent campaign in Israeli media supporting Imran Khan is aimed at pressuring Western countries, particularly the US and the UK.

There has been a series of events where the Western countries have shown support for Imran Khan, including the passage of a resolution against Pakistan in the US House of Representatives and a hearing by British parliamentarians in the House of Lords Committee Room, where they called for Imran Khan’s release. Independent commentators have expressed astonishment that after Imran Khan’s government was ousted through a vote of no-confidence, he publicly accused the US administration of orchestrating the regime change, claiming his government was toppled due to American displeasure with him. Despite these allegations, the US House of Representatives has shown support for Khan, leaving many baffled as to why the US would back him after such accusations.

Apart from the Western governments’ efforts in support of Imran Khan, now the Israeli media has joined in with a series of articles backing him. Previously, The Times of Israel claimed that Khan hinted at building relations with Israel, despite opposing the country in his political campaigns. Now, The Jerusalem Post published another article, declaring Imran Khan as a strong advocate for establishing ties between Israel and Pakistan, further highlighting his potential openness to improving relations with Israel.

The Jerusalem Post’s article claimed that the existing political leadership and military establishment in Pakistan are the key hurdles in forming diplomatic relations with Israel and suggested that these forces would need to be removed for any progress to be made. It further emphasized that Khan’s influence could shift public opinion and military policy regarding Israel.

In 2016, Imran Khan publicly supported his former brother-in-law, Zac Goldsmith, in the London mayoral election. Zac was running against Sadiq Khan, a Pakistani-origin Muslim leader from the Labour Party. Despite this, Imran Khan urged Londoners through a series of tweets to support and vote for Zac Goldsmith, backing him over Sadiq Khan.

Despite the claims made in these articles for supporting Zac Goldsmith, Imran Khan has never publicly backed Israel. In fact, while in government, Khan clearly stated that as long as he is prime minister, Pakistan will not recognise Israel. He consistently opposed Israel in his public statements throughout his political career.

In 2020, when the UAE signed the Abraham Accord and established full diplomatic relations with Israel, with the help of then US President Donald Trump, there were rumors that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan might be next to form diplomatic ties with Israel.

The Jerusalem Post article also hints at the same. According to the article, “Although it has maintained a policy position that was pro-Palestinian for a long time, recent years have seen an occasional sign of its desire to improve relations with Israel. Former prime minister Imran Khan — despite his strong rhetoric against Israeli policies — hinted at Pakistan needing to forge its own foreign policy path. This was particularly pertinent at a time when the rest of the Muslim world began to normalise ties with Israel on the basis of self-interest.”

“Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party winning 93 National Assembly seats in the country’s recent election shows his influence — or perhaps the emergence of another like-minded and equally pragmatic leader — could bring opportunities for reevaluating the extent to which Pakistan can afford to reconsider its historic hostility toward Israel, particularly in the face of its ongoing deep economic crises,” reads the article.

The PTI leadership is placing all its hopes on the US presidential elections, believing that if Trump wins, Imran Khan will no longer face difficulties. They think Trump will not only push the Pakistani government to release Khan but also help him return to power.

It is important to note here that during the PTI government, media reports accused Imran Khan’s Special Assistant, Zulfi Bukhari, of having close ties with Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Imran Khan’s ex-wife, Reham Khan, also alleged that Bukhari intended to sell the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. However, Bukhari took legal action against Reham in a UK court and won the defamation case, successfully proving the allegations false.

In response to the recent article in the Jerusalem Post, the PTI called it nonsense and claimed that these articles aim to damage Imran Khan’s reputation by painting him as a pro-Israeli politician, despite his consistent opposition to Israel. However, Khan’s political opponents argue that the PTI often lives in denial. They insist that the claims in the articles are factually correct and reflect what was happening during Khan’s time in office.