Relationship dossier
Israel
Pakistan
Relationship assessment
No formal ties, with Pakistan's non-recognition offset by limited high-level contact
Israel toward Pakistan
+10Israel engaged Pakistan directly when Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri in 2005, in a meeting facilitated by Turkey. The scope of subsequent Israeli government engagement with Pakistan is unclear.
Pakistan toward Israel
-40Pakistan has not recognized Israel and has tied recognition to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri nevertheless met Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom in 2005, showing limited direct engagement.
Overall relationship
-25The enduring relationship is constrained by Pakistan's non-recognition of Israel and the centrality of the Palestinian issue in Pakistan's position. The 2005 foreign-minister meeting demonstrates that direct contact has occurred, but it did not lead to formal diplomatic relations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Israel and Pakistan lack formal diplomatic relations. Pakistan has not recognized Israel and has linked recognition to Palestinian statehood, while a 2005 meeting between their foreign ministers showed limited scope for direct engagement. The relationship is therefore marked by a substantial political barrier alongside an isolated episode of contact.
Areas of tension
- Pakistan's non-recognition of Israel
- Pakistan's position that recognition is linked to Palestinian statehood
Key developments
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri in a meeting facilitated by Turkey.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of subsequent direct government contacts is unclear.
- The practical scope of Pakistan's restrictions on travel to Israel is unclear.