Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, called the Istanbul meeting "historic" and said: "We think it will be a very positive signal to Israeli public opinion." The Pakistani Foreign Minister, Khursheed Mahmud Kasuri, said Pakistan had decided "to engage" Israel and called the meeting "a gesture to underscore the importance, we, in Pakistan, attach to Israel ending its occupation in the Gaza."

Whatever may be the diplomatic jargon, it is a certainly a strategic move by Pakistan, the second largest Muslim majority country after Indonesia, and the only Muslim country with nuclear power.

It is reported in the state-run TV in Pakistan, quoting President Musharraf, that he had first sought the counsel of Saudi Arabia and of the Palestinian Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas. Pakistan's military leader confirmed that he would send a delegation to visit Gaza and Jerusalem: "General Musharraf said: "We will not talk about recognition of Israel until a Palestinian state is established and then we will think about it."

The move is expected to be welcomed in Washington, where Pakistan represents a crucial ally in the campaign against terrorism. It is music to the ears of the Bush administration.

However in Pakistan, the main Islamic opposition party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the coalition party of hardline Muslim clerics, Mutahida Majlish-e-Amal, denounced the meeting. They said they would bring protests on the streets next Friday.

Why did Pakistan make this gesture?
There are several reasons and some of them deserve mention.

First, In South Asia, Israel has maintained diplomatic relations with India and Nepal.

The Pakistani President has always been a pragmatic leader. He has seen the contours of global politics gradually reshaping in such a way that Pakistan cannot sit idle.

India and China have developed good relations, and the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister in April to India led a series of agreements (11 agreements) that covered many areas of cooperation, such as trade, joint petroleum, gas, and space exploration.

The Chinese Prime Minister declared the visit as a "historic" moment when two powers agreed on principles for settling the border dispute. He reportedly said that "the flower of India-China has bloomed again today." India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, in return, offered a reciprocal rhapsody: "India and China can together reshape the world order."

Reportedly, the Chinese Prime Minister counseled Pakistan that dispute should not deter in fostering relations with other countries. It seems that President Musharraf has heeded to this advice to "engage" Israel.

In the statements, both leaders have elevated their relationship to a new level, both in strategic and commercial areas.

Second, Pakistan has closely watched with concern that India has been receiving military assistance from Israel, and the visit of India's Prime Minister to Washington in July has allowed Israel to sell sensitive and stare of the art US weapons to India. Furthermore, an axis, US-Israel and India, has taken shape in which India in 2004 reportedly bought weapons worth $5.7 billion, according to US Congressional Research Service on Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations.

Third, Pakistan realises that China is no more interested in the issue of self-determination of Kashmiris because it has its own problems with Uighur Muslims in its province Xinjiang, close to Kyrgyzstan. China believes that support for Kashmiris will encourage Uighur Muslim rebels to become bolder and more active in their goal of secession from China.

Fourth, many leaders in the US are not comfortable with the strong relationship with Pakistan because of absence of genuine democracy in the country. Many even suspect whether Pakistan is a close ally with the US in combating terrorism.

Furthermore, Afghanistan's relations with Pakistan stand at the lowest point because Afghanistan suspects that some elements in the Pakistan military still support the Taliban militants in east and south Afghanistan. Given the circumstances, Israel may act as a conduit to influence the US in Pakistan's favour.

Finally, Israel has diplomatic relations with Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Mauritania. Their diplomatic relations with Israel do not harm relations with other Muslim nations, rather those countries have achieved a strategic edge over other Muslim countries in international relations.

Conclusion
All these reasons may have contributed to the Pakistani leader's decision to cultivate Israel, with the hope that Pakistan keeps the most important US ally in the Middle East, from moving deeply into the India's embrace strategically. At least Israel will now consider Pakistan's interests before moving too closely with India.

President Musharraf has taken an unprecedented step in "engaging" Israel. Furthermore he has agreed to address the American Jewish Congress in New York on September 17. Both these deliberate moves are likely to strengthen Pakistan's role in global politics in an era of unprecedented volatility.

The meeting with "joint photos and a joint press conference" between the Pakistani and Israeli Foreign Ministers has been a calculated strategic move for Pakistan at a time when it thinks that its influence in the region is on the decline.

Barrister Harun ur Rashid is a former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.