Pakistan has rejected a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel [1].

The refusal marks a significant diplomatic hurdle for the U.S. administration's effort to expand the Abraham Accords. By encouraging Muslim-majority nations to establish ties with Israel, the U.S. aims to foster a broader peace-building framework that includes Iran [1].

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that "under no circumstances will Islamabad establish relations with Israel" [1]. The Pakistani government's stance aligns with the requirement for a sovereign Palestinian state before any normalization can occur [1].

Saudi Arabia has also signaled resistance to the U.S. push. The Saudi government said that normalization remains unlikely without a resolution regarding the Palestinian state [1]. This collective hesitation among key regional powers suggests a coordinated front against U.S. pressure to alter long-standing Middle East policies.

President Trump's strategy relies on the premise that normalization with Israel can serve as a catalyst for regional stability. However, the rejection from Pakistan and the cautious approach from Saudi Arabia highlight the enduring influence of the Palestinian conflict on the foreign policies of Muslim-majority nations [1].

Islamabad has historically maintained a strict policy of non-recognition of Israel. The current administration continues this tradition, emphasizing that the rights of Palestinians must be secured before any shift in diplomatic status is considered [1].

“"under no circumstances will Islamabad establish relations with Israel"”

The rejection by Pakistan and the resistance from Saudi Arabia demonstrate the limits of U.S. diplomatic leverage in the Middle East. While the Abraham Accords successfully brought several nations into the fold, the most influential Muslim-majority states continue to tie normalization to the establishment of a Palestinian state, suggesting that the U.S. cannot bypass the core Israeli-Palestinian conflict to achieve regional peace.