The Complex Dynamics Of Afghanistan's Stance On The Israel-Palestine Conflict

Afghanistan has never had formal diplomatic relations with Israel and has never recognized the country since its founding in 1948. However, it recognized Palestine's independence in 1948 and officially recognized Palestinian statehood in 1988. During the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, the Taliban-led Afghanistan maintained a stance of silence and non-intervention, refraining from taking a strong position against either side. While the Taliban has condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza, it has stopped short of expressing explicit support for Hamas or making controversial statements about Israel. The Taliban's interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has emphasized that Afghans support Palestine through action rather than words, suggesting that the Taliban prioritizes internal unity and national interests over taking a firm stance in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Afghanistan has never recognised Israel as a country

In 2005, former Afghan president Hamid Karzai hinted at a desire to establish formal ties with Israel, stating:

> When there is further progress [in the Middle East peace process], and the Palestinians begin to get a state of their own, Afghanistan will be glad to have full relations with Israel.

However, following the Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan in 2021, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen affirmed that they would not have any relations with Israel. He told the Russian news agency Sputnik:

> Of course, we won't have any relations with Israel. We want to have relations with other countries; Israel is not among these countries. We would like to have relations with all the regional countries and neighbouring countries as well as Asian countries.

Despite the Taliban's ambiguous position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the group has refrained from condemning or praising either party. The Taliban has denied claims that they were trying to join Hamas in the war against Israel.

In August 2021, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar of the Taliban met with Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Doha, Qatar. In October 2022, Taliban official Zabihullah Mujahid also met with Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey.

The Taliban has refrained from taking a strong stance against Israel

The Taliban has historically refrained from taking a strong stance against Israel, despite their support for Palestine. While the Taliban has issued statements condemning Israeli attacks on Palestinians and expressing sympathy for the Palestinian cause, they have stopped short of directly criticizing or condemning Israel.

For example, during the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, the Taliban chose to maintain a stance of silence and non-intervention, denying that they wanted to join Hamas in the war against Israel. Similarly, in 2023, when Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce, the Taliban refrained from calling Hamas a liberation group or directly criticizing Israel. Instead, they focused their criticism on Western nations, accusing them of hypocrisy in their response to the crisis.

The Taliban's foreign ministry has condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza, but their statements have been relatively mild compared to those of other countries in the region, such as Iran and Turkey. The Taliban spokesperson, Suhail Shaheen, has stated that the Taliban wants to have relations with other countries in the region but that "Israel is not among these countries."

The Taliban's restrained approach towards Israel may be influenced by their desire for international legitimacy and aid, as well as their sensitivity to external interference in their own affairs. They are aware that taking a stronger stance against Israel could jeopardize their relationship with the United States and other countries, which is crucial for their goals of gaining international recognition and support.

Overall, while the Taliban has expressed support for Palestine and criticized Israeli actions, they have refrained from taking a strong, explicit stance against Israel, opting instead for a more cautious and calculated approach.

Afghanistan recognised Palestine's independence in 1948

Afghanistan recognised Palestine's independence in October 1948, making it the first non-Arab country to do so. This recognition came in the form of an endorsement of the Palestinian National Council's declaration of independence. At the time, Afghanistan was ruled by a monarchy, with the royal family claiming descent from the Hebrew patriarch Jacob.

The context of this recognition was the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had seen the British Mandate of Palestine come to an end in 1947, leading to the creation of the State of Israel in May 1948. The surrounding Arab states, including Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, and Syria, rejected the UN Partition Plan and invaded the former British territory, sparking the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The war resulted in a mass exodus of Palestinians, with over 700,000 fleeing or being expelled.

The Palestinian National Council's declaration of independence in 1948 was an attempt to assert sovereignty over the internationally recognised Palestinian territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. However, despite Afghanistan's recognition, by the end of 1948, the Palestinian state had only been recognised by a handful of countries.

In the decades that followed, Afghanistan continued to express support for the Palestinian cause, although it never established formal diplomatic relations with Israel. In 2019, Afghanistan donated $1 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after the United States halted its aid. During the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis, the Taliban-led Islamic Republic of Afghanistan condemned Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

While Afghanistan has historically supported Palestine, it has refrained from taking a strong stance against Israel, especially under the Taliban regime. The Taliban's interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has emphasised that Afghans are "people of action rather than words", suggesting that their support for Palestine is primarily through actions rather than diplomatic statements.

The Taliban has denied wanting to join Hamas in the war against Israel

The Taliban's foreign ministry issued a statement saying that they were ""carefully monitoring the recent events in Gaza" and considered any defense and resistance of the Palestinian people for their freedom and holy places as a legitimate right. However, they maintained a stance of silence and non-intervention in the Hamas-Israel conflict. While the Taliban has expressed sympathy for the Palestinian cause and condemned Israeli attacks, they have stopped short of actively supporting Hamas in the war.

The Taliban's interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has stated that the Taliban does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. He emphasized that the Taliban government is "more sympathetic" towards Muslim countries than any other government. The Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has also remained notably quiet on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Some analysts believe that the Taliban's public denial of support for Hamas may be due to their desire for international legitimacy and aid, as well as the removal of sanctions. The Taliban is aware that US support is critical, and openly supporting Hamas could jeopardize their relationship with the US. Additionally, the Taliban's involvement in the Middle East conflict would be a violation of the Doha Agreement, which could result in further sanctions and financial consequences.

Despite the Taliban's denial, there have been reports of meetings and interactions between Taliban and Hamas leaders. In August 2021, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar of the Taliban met with Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Doha, Qatar. Additionally, Taliban officials have twice condemned Israel's attacks on Gaza, blaming the attacks on violations of Palestinian rights by Israel.

The Taliban has accused the West of hypocrisy in its response to the Israel-Palestine conflict

Afghanistan has never recognised Israel since its creation in 1948, and it was the first non-Arab country to recognise Palestinian statehood in 1948. In 2021, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan condemned Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

The Taliban has been criticised for its restrained response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Taliban's interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has stated that the Taliban does not interfere in the "internal affairs" of other countries, but it has faith-based sympathy with Muslims. The Taliban has refrained from making harsh statements about Israel, and there have been minimal demonstrations in Afghanistan condemning Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

The Taliban's response to the conflict is influenced by its quest for legitimacy and recognition within the Islamic world and its economic and strategic ties with Iran, a long-time supporter of the Palestinian cause. The Taliban's support for Palestine and its right to self-determination is crucial in securing Iran's continued support.

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