Taliban has no problem to cooperate with Israel

Kabul: Taliban spokesman Muhammad Naeem made a shocking claim while talking to a Qatari news channel that the Taliban has decided to resolve issues with everyone through discussion and harmony. Therefore, the Taliban is open for discussion with anyone who has problems with the militant outfit and wants to solve them. He further said that the Taliban is ready to discuss even with Israel. Consequently, the discussion has started on whether Afghanistan, which the Taliban rule, also established diplomatic cooperation with Israel by signing the Abraham Accords following the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain.

A year ago, the Taliban established its rule in Afghanistan. After this, in several interviews with the international media, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shahin had said that the Taliban is ready to cooperate with most countries except Israel. Highlighting the issue of Palestine, the Taliban spokesperson had announced that relations with Israel could not be established. Meanwhile, photographs of top Taliban leaders meeting Hamas terrorists were also published.

The Taliban also criticised Israel’s crackdown on terror sites in the Gaza Strip a month ago. But a few days ago, Qatar’s Al Jazeera news channel caused a stir with an interview with the spokesman of the Taliban’s political wing, Muhammad Naeem. In this, the Taliban spokesperson presents his organisation’s position. Taliban spokesperson Naeem said in the interview that his organisation is willing to resolve issues through discussions with countries or individuals who have been hostile toward the Taliban.

Moreover, the interview questioned Naeem about whether the Taliban would negotiate and cooperate with Israel as well. He was also questioned what the problem was to discuss with Israel. Naeem reprimanded the interviewer. He slammed that the media has created all these questions. If a country or person has no issues with us, what is the problem in discussing with that country? said Naeem. He also stated that the interviewer’s question was unwarranted.

This statement made by the Taliban spokesperson about Israel received a lot of publicity in the Pakistani and Israeli media. Some have claimed that the Taliban is sending a message to Israel through this interview. The Israeli media is asking whether Afghanistan, which the Taliban rule, is also preparing to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel, following the Arab countries UAE and Bahrain. Due to this interview with Muhammad Naeem, it has come to light that there are two groups in the Taliban. Reports have also surfaced that a faction within the Taliban has distanced itself from Naeem’s statements.