Except ‘Israel’, Taliban say willing to establish relations with all countries
The Taliban are willing to establish ties with all countries except ‘Israel’, a spokesman of the group said on Tuesday.
The Spokesman of The Taliban, Suhail Shaheen, told Russia’s Sputnik news that the Taliban were willing to work with the US if America wanted to.
“Yes, of course, in a new chapter if America wants to have a relation with us, which could be in the interest of both countries and both peoples, and if they want to participate in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, they are welcome”, Shaheen said.
But he went on, “Of course, we won’t have any relation with Israel. We want to have relations with other countries, Israel is not among these countries,” Shaheen said.
In a surprising move, last month, Shaheen sparked controversy when a interview was broadcast on Israel’s KAN station.
While denying he did not speak to any media identified itself as an Israeli, Shaheen was heard answering questions about the rights of minorities, including Jews.
In the recording of the telephone interview, which was widely reported, Shaheen is heard asking the Israeli journalist, Roi Kais, “What TV are you working at?” The reporter answered, “Kan News, Kan News.” Kan News is an Israeli state TV station.
“I do many interviews with journalists every day after the falling of provincial centers of Afghanistan and the capital, Kabul, to the Islamic Emirate. Some journalists may be masquerading, but I haven’t done an interview with anyone introducing himself [that] he is from an Israeli media,” wrote Shaheen on his Twitter account after news of the interview broke.
I do many interviews with journalists every day after the falling of provincial centers of Afghnistan and the capital Kabul to the Islamic Emirate, some journalists maybe masquerading but I haven’t done interview with any one introducing himself he is from an Israeli media.
— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) August 17, 2021
When asked about the Taliban being congratulated by Hamas, he thanked the Islamic Resistance Movement, but denied any cooperation with it.
“We fought the occupation only in Afghanistan,” he explained. “We do not have any cooperation with Hamas in any region. We thank anyone who congratulates us on our independence.”
האם טליבאן באמת השתנה מאז פיגועי ה-11 בספטמבר? בריאיון בלעדי ל-@kaisos1987 משדר דובר ארגון הטרור פייסנות – ושולח מסר לעולם: "לא נאפשר להשתמש באדמתנו נגד מדינות אחרות"#חדשותהערבhttps://t.co/wp0JkYdt26 pic.twitter.com/1GrKM4SQPA
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) August 17, 2021
Last month, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.
