Pakistan–Saudi Pact Seen as Step Toward Israel Normalization
A senior Palestinian journalist has cast doubt on the recent Pakistan–Saudi agreement, warning it may be less about defense and more about politics. Ali al-Samoudi likened the move to a “godfather” patting an office boy on the shoulder; a gesture of respect meant only to secure a bigger favor.
Al-Samoudi argued that Riyadh’s embrace of Islamabad, encouraged by Washington and its allies, signals the first step toward surrendering to the Abraham Accords. He pointed to signs already visible: secret meetings between Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir and Donald Trump, quiet visits to Israel by Pakistani delegations and journalists, and Saudi Arabia’s own overtures toward the U.S. and Israel. Together, he said, these indicate that “the deal over Jerusalem is already sealed.”
According to al-Samoudi, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan claim that any attack on Palestine would be treated as an attack on themselves. Yet in practice, he warned, the real aim is to normalize Israel and build alliances against those few nations still speaking for Palestinian rights. He described the lavish welcome given to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Riyadh as symbolic of Pakistan’s gradual movement toward recognizing Israel.
He cautioned that if Saudi–Israeli relations sour, Pakistan could come under pressure as a partner. A simultaneous confrontation with a hostile neighbor, he added, could leave Islamabad cornered, forcing it eventually into the Abraham framework.
Al-Samoudi dismissed the notion that the pact offers military protection. Pakistan, he said, lacks the political, economic, and military capacity to defend Riyadh against powers like the U.S. or Israel. Nor would Saudi Arabia join Pakistan in a conflict with India, given its vast investments in Washington and New Delhi.
“The real game is in America’s hands,” he concluded. “This is not a defense pact, it is a political trap.”
