Introduction Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan recently revealed that several countries are pressuring Islamabad to follow in the footsteps of the Gulf states by recognizing the state of Israel. Khan, however, expressed opposition to this idea, at least until there is a political settlement that meets Palestinian demands. While full normalization between Israel and Pakistan may still be out of reach, China could mediate between these two countries, which have never established a diplomatic relationship. Israel and Pakistan A glance at the history of interactions between Israel and Pakistan might suggest that they could easily normalize relations. Admittedly, there has been political hostility between them since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, given Pakistan’s ties to Arab countries. Nonetheless, the two countries were able to establish direct political contacts on several occasions during the 1990s and early 2000s, as the Oslo Accords and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority partially destigmatized Israel. Informal contacts have reached the highest levels of power. For example, in 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf shook hands at the United Nations summit. Furthermore, several reports indicate cooperation between the intelligence bodies of both countries.