New Delhi: The ceasefire brokered apparently by Pakistan to halt the hostilities between the United States and Iran is lingering with fragility. There are also accusations of violations of the ceasefire and escalation of conflict. Amidst such a chaotic and conflict-ridden geopolitical landscape of West Asia, Israel Envoy to India Reuven Azar has raised apprehensions about the credibility of Pakistan in its role as a mediator. As the negotiations to reach a lasting peace and solution continues, the Ambassador has asserted that Tel Aviv does not view Islamabad as a “credible player”.
The Israel Envoy also reiterated that the United States has appointed Pakistan as a mediator in the conflict to fulfill its other motives. Washington DC has its own reasons for using the “services” of Islamabad, the Envoy further added. These claims from the Israel Envoy raises serious questions regarding the diplomatic capabilities of Pakistan. Will it be able to strike a lasting peace in West Asia by espousing complete cessation of hostilities? Will Pakistan be able to broker a peace deal by considering the aspirations of all the stakeholders who are involved in the conflict? Well, the Israel Envoy has expressed doubts.
“We don’t see Pakistan as a credible player. I think that the United States has decided to use the services of the facilitation of Pakistan for their own reasons”, Envoy Azar said while speaking to the news agency ANI. The Israel Ambassador to India also asserted that the objective of Tel Aviv is to completely dismantle the Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Southern Lebanon. The Israel Envoy also drew parllels and compared between the Pakistan brokered ceasefire in the US-Iran war and the earlier ceasefires brokered by Qatar and Turkey along with the Trump adminsitration. He said that the earlier truce agreements anchored by Qatar and Turkey with respect to the Israel-Hamas conflict was problematic. Similarly, the ceasefire mediated by Islamabad can also be problematic and might not yield any solid solution, Reuven Azar expressed his apprehension.
Meanwhile, the Israel Ambassador asserted his country’s support for the temporary ceasefire. However, he reiterated that the goal of Tel Aviv in Lebanon is different, which is to completely uproot the Hezbollah terror network and its complex infrastructure. “It has nothing to do with the operation in Iran. When it comes to Lebanon, as I said, we have to achieve a situation in which southern Lebanon will be cleaned from Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure. That’s the responsibility of the Lebanese government. When it comes to Iran, we hope that this negotiation will lead to the conditions that are part of the 15-point plan”, the Israel Envoy added.
