Pakistan has changed its position on the Gaza peace plan put forward by former US President Donald Trump, withdrawing its support. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar revealed on Tuesday that the plan differed from the proposals of eight Muslim nations. Dar highlighted that Trump’s plan did not include key elements such as a ceasefire, humanitarian aid provisions, and measures to stop forced displacement, which led to Pakistan’s decision to no longer support it.
Dar clarified that the plan was not a Pakistani initiative. In contrast, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously welcomed the proposal, expressing support for Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at ending the Gaza conflict, just hours before a White House meeting between Trump and Netanyahu.
Trump had announced the peace plan during a White House press conference on September 29, asserting the complete backing of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. However, after the details of the plan were released on the White House website, Pakistan expressed concerns, resulting in Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar distancing Pakistan from the initiative the following day.
The shift in Pakistan’s stance raises questions about the reasons. Was the initial support for Trump’s plan too hasty, or did changes made after Netanyahu’s involvement play a role? It is also considered whether internal political pressures in Pakistan contributed to this shift.
The plan and its endorsement faced open criticism from Pakistani leaders and social media users. According to a report in the ‘Times of Israel’, Netanyahu made some changes to the agreement during his meeting with Trump, which included conditions for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the subsequent proposal of a security zone.
Speaking in Islamabad on Tuesday, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar said the American plan was modified because of Netanyahu’s input, and conditions were added. One of the conditions was that Hamas must surrender before Israel would withdraw. Dar added that Qatar and another Arab country had assured that Hamas would accept the agreement.
Dar said, ‘I want to be clear that Pakistan will not be part of any agreement. Our policy remains the same, we will not recognize Israel. Our goal is only to deliver humanitarian aid, stop the bloodshed, and protect the West Bank.’