Pakistan denies policy change on Israel amid reports of journalists' visit to Tel Aviv: FO

Following reports about a Pakistani journalists' group visiting Israel, the Foreign Office (FO) reaffirmed that Pakistan’s policy on Israel remains unchanged.

In a statement, the FO rejected speculations of a policy shift and expressed solidarity with Gaza, emphasizing that Pakistan will continue supporting Palestinian rights.

The statement came in response to a report by an Israeli news network, published on March 18, 2025, stating, “hundreds of visitors at hostage square in Tel Aviv last Tuesday would have surprised to learn that among them was a delegation from one of the world’s most strictly anti-Israel nations, Pakistan.”

“Delegation, comprised of journalists and researchers, visited Israel last week via invitation from an organisation working to strengthen relations with South Asian countries,” it added.

Read: Israeli media reports ‘secret visit’ by Pakistani journalists, researchers to Tel Aviv

The visit included meetings with Israeli Officials and tours of the key sites such as the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem and areas affected in the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

In the response, the FO dismissed the stance of the policy shift, stating that “The government of Pakistan has noted reports regarding Pakistani journalists travelling to Israel. In this regard, it is clarified that Pakistani passports explicitly state they are ‘not valid for travel to Israel.’ Therefore, no such visit is possible under existing regulations,” the statement read.

The FO expressed Pakistan’s "steadfast support" for a pre-1967 Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, in line with UN resolutions.