“Blood Libels”: Israel Denounces Pakistan for Khawaja Asif’s “Cancerous” Comment

Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, publicly chastised Pakistan's leadership in a strong and unexpected escalation that represents a rare open diplomatic clash between two countries who do not have formal ties. Just hours before planned US-Iran talks related to regional tensions, the message was posted on social media and was directed at remarks made by Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif.

Sa'ar denounced what he called "blatant antisemitic blood libels" and cautioned that calling Israel "cancerous" is tantamount to calling for its annihilation. He added that Israel would "defend itself against terrorists who vow its destruction", underscoring the seriousness with which Jerusalem views the rhetoric emanating from Islamabad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office slammed Munir's statement. "Pakistan defence minister's call for Israel's annihilation is outrageous. This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace," it said in a statement.

The Israeli response comes after a series of events that started with Pakistan's Foreign Ministry strongly denouncing Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Khawaja Asif's divisive comments on social media, in which he harshly denounced Israel and used strong language, came next. Since Israel has traditionally refrained from direct interaction with Pakistan in the absence of diplomatic ties, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's decision to publicly respond marks a significant break from previous practice.

Israel has repeatedly expressed its mistrust of Pakistan's involvement in any attempt at mediation. Israel's envoy to India, Reuven Azar, recently told NDTV that Pakistan is not seen by Israel as a reliable middleman in peace negotiations. Sa'ar's most recent comments seem to support that view, indicating that Israel's attitude against Islamabad has hardened. 

The episode also emphasizes the region's more general strategic alignments. Pakistan has long been accused by India, a strong ally of Israel, of supporting terrorism, especially in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Islamabad has been blamed by New Delhi for a number of incidents, including the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians last year.