Pakistan has finally allowed its Jewish citizen to visit Israel on Pakistani passport in a breakthrough move; the country has never recognized Israel at a state level.
Allowing Jewish Citizen to Visit Israel on Pakistani Passport
The news of Pakistani Jewish citizen visiting Israel is indeed surprising for several reasons. It has not been more than three months since the news of an Israeli plane flying over Islamabad gave rise to speculations that Israeli leadership had landed in Pakistan.
And, now the government has suddenly allowed its Jewish citizen to visit Israel that too on Pakistani passport; a green document that prominently says that it is valid for all other countries except Israel.
Pakistan and Israel have no open diplomatic ties. The countries don’t even have embassies in each other’s countries, but they have allegedly coordinated with each other through embassies in Turkey in past.
Who Is This Jewish Citizen
Fishel Benkhald, who was reportedly born Faisal Khalid to a Jewish mother and Muslim father is first Pakistani who has been openly granted permission to visit Israel on a Pakistani passport. Khalid who calls himself the last jew of Pakistani applied for permission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through an app. He later received a call from Ministry of foreign affairs on 2 January that he could visit Jerusalem, Israel on his Pakistani passport.
Fishel took to Twitter to express his gratitude for Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan.
Controversy about Fishel Benkhald’s Religion
Fishel Benkhald reportedly got converted to judaism because his mother was a jew. But, there is a controversy as according to media reports Fishel’s brothers who are Muslims claim that their mother was not a jew. One of his brothers even shared the death certificate of her mother that states her to be a Muslim.
Well, irrespective for the fact who was Fishel’s mother the fact that Fishel calls himself a jew and practices the religion is enough to make them seek a visit to Jerusalem for the purpose of pilgrimage.
How People Reacted to the Incident
It is a fact that Pakistanis in general have a cold attitude towards Israel due to its atrocities in Palestine. Therefore, the news of a Pakistani citizen traveling to Israel on Pakistani passport got mixed reaction from folks. Many people welcomed this move by the government as it allowed a citizen’s right to practice his religion.
