Israel does not see Pakistan as a ‘credible player’ despite its mediator role in the West Asia conflict. Here’s why

“We don’t see Pakistan as a credible player. I think that the United States has decided to use the services of the facilitation of Pakistan for their own reasons,” Azar told ANI reporters. 

The envoy’s remarks highlight a growing rift in the perception of the “Trump-brokered” 14-day ceasefire. Despite the announcement of the 2 week ceasefire yesterday, reports of attacks on Iranian infrastructure, Saudi pipelines, UAE and Kuwait by conflicting parties remain abundant. 

Notably, Israel has actually advanced its aerial assault on Lebanon to a dangerous precedent following the announcement of the ceasefire. In their latest statement the Lebanese health body reported the death of more than 203 Lebanon citizens as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday.

The ‘credibility gap’: Israel vs. Islamabad

In a pointed interview with ANI, Azar made it clear that while the US may find utility in Pakistan’s diplomatic channels, Israel remains unconvinced of Islamabad’s long-term neutrality or effectiveness.

Azar compared the US’s reliance on Pakistan to its previous use of Qatar and Turkey to communicate with Hamas.

“We have seen in the past how the United States has managed to take problematic states like Qatar and Turkey and use them for the benefit of achieving an agreement with Hamas,” Azar told reporters while talking about America’s history of dealing with ‘problematic’ countries for ‘peace’.

In his remarks, Azar said that for Tel Aviv, the priority is not the mediator, but the “substance” of the outcome. “For us, it is very important to stay in sync with the United States when it comes to the… essence of the outcome we want to see,” Azar stated.

As per international observers interviewed by Reuters, by grouping Pakistan with “problematic states,” Israel has effectively signaled that it views Islamabad’s involvement as a marriage of convenience for the White House rather than a legitimate shift in regional power dynamics.

Notably, Azar’s comments come at a time when Islamabad is preparing to host a ‘high stakes meeting’ to ‘resolve the West Asia crisis’

Pakistan’s claim and airstrikes on Lebanon

While Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently claimed that Lebanon was an integral part of the two-week peace agreement, the reality on the ground tells a different story. 

As of now Israel is keeping on with its aerial rampage on Lebanon that has killed hundreds of citizens including schoolgirls and left thousands injured.

Azar emphasized that the security of Northern Israel depends on Southern Lebanon being “cleaned” of Hezbollah’s infrastructure. Analysts interviewees by Reuters point out that Azar used the ‘same vocabulary’ of ‘terrorists in hiding’ that Netanyahu used to decimate the people of Gaza.

Israel has placed the burden of Hezbollah’s disarmament squarely on the Lebanese government, signaling that the IDF’s operations will persist until the border region is neutralized.

Azar confirmed that any sustainable negotiation with Iran must adhere to a strict 15-point plan that goes beyond a mere pause in hostilities. The non-negotiable pillars for Israel include:

• Nuclear Zero: Elimination of all military nuclear capabilities on Iranian soil.
• Ballistic Containment: A complete curbing of Iran’s long-range missile programs.
• Terror Proliferation: A definitive halt to the funding and arming of regional proxies.