Afghanistan–Palestine relations

Afghanistan–Palestine relations refer to diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and the State of Palestine.

History

Afghanistan recognized the Palestinian National Council's declaration of independence in October 1948, making it the first non-Arab country to do so. Afghanistan officially recognized Palestinian statehood on 16 November 1988.

In 2019, Afghanistan donated US$ one million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This was preceded by the United States stopping aid to UNRWA.

Amidst the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expressed its condemnation of Israeli attacks against Palestinians.

In August 2021, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar of the Taliban met with Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Doha, Qatar. In October 2022, Taliban official Zabihullah Mujahid met with Ismail Haniyeh in Turkey. Sirajuddin Haqqani, Interior Minister of Afghanistan, met with religious scholars from Palestine in January 2023.

At the onset of the Hamas-Israel war in October, the leaders of Afghanistan, as represented by the Taliban movement, chose to maintain a stance of silence and non-intervention. Taliban denied wanting to join Hamas in the war against Israel. Afghanistan blamed the attacks on Israel violating the rights of Palestinians. Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi described Palestinian resistance to Israel as a legitimate attempt to gain freedom.

See also

• Foreign relations of Afghanistan
• Foreign relations of Palestine
• International recognition of Palestine

References