DUBAI, Oct 13: Pakistan may establish ties with Israel if progress is made on the Palestinian front but will not do so merely to offset India’s use of its Israeli connections to court the United States, Khaleej Times quoted President Pervez Musharraf as saying on Monday.

“We are not ready to do anything to please others at the expense of our national interests,” Gen Musharraf told the UAE daily when asked if Pakistan would forge links with Israel to counter India’s perceived use of the Jewish state to get closer to Washington.

“We have a good relationship with the US as partners in combating terrorism, but we have no relation whatsoever with Israel,” he said.

“We have always been ... in support of the Palestinian cause. If the peace process moves forward in justice, we can revise our policy with Israel.

“We cannot do anything against the wish of the people of Pakistan ... There is a genuine public opinion here which is totally against Israel,” President Musharraf added in an interview with the newspaper.—AFP