Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recounted his decision to ignore Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the recent United Nations General Assembly session.
Speaking at a multi-party conference in Islamabad on Monday, PM Shehbaz revealed that he made a conscious choice to avoid any interaction with Netanyahu after learning that the Israeli leader would address the assembly immediately following him.
Upon discovering that Netanyahu would be present in the same room where world leaders wait to speak, the Pakistani premier devised a strategy to minimize contact.
He recalled, “When I was informed that the Israeli PM would be in the same room, I thought it best to position myself away from the entrance. This way, he would have to approach from behind and wouldn’t see me.
Even if he did catch a glimpse, I planned to exit quickly so there wouldn’t be an opportunity to shake hands.”
PM Shehbaz expressed relief that his plan worked, noting that such a moment of potential interaction never arose. He emphasized the significance of this stance by mentioning that the Pakistani delegation chose to walk out of the assembly when Netanyahu began his address.
The delegation accompanying him included key figures such as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Science and Technology Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram.
Their collective decision to leave the room highlighted Pakistan’s ongoing position regarding relations with Israel, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to its stance on regional issues.
