WASHINGTON, July 2: A group of Pakistani Americans that played a key role in arranging a historic meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Israel last year sent an eight-member delegation to Israel last week as part of its effort to improve ties between Israel and the Muslim world.

“We don’t have an iota of doubt that there should be relations between Pakistan and Israel and between Israel and the entire Arab world,” an Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post quoted Dr Omar Atiq, a member of the delegation, as saying. “The ice has been broken. It’s just a matter of time. It’s not if — it’s when. It’s round the corner — despite what is going on in the news,” he said.

During its three-day stay in Israel, the group met several top Israeli leaders, including Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, Foreign Ministry Director-General Aharon Abramovitch, top foreign ministry officials, IDF coordinator of government activities in the territories Gen Yusef Mishlav and former foreign minister Silvan Shalom. They also met Saeb Erekat and Sari Nusseibeh on the Palestinian side.

American Jewish Congress hailed the visit of the Pakistani expatriates to Israel as a breakthrough and hoped that would set a precedent for many more visits by Pakistanis.

Dr Atiq said the trip helped give him an understanding of the issues and the realities on the ground in Israel that he thought he knew, but realised during the visit that he did not know as well as he should have.

“We came here thinking people should just talk to each other to overcome their differences,” Dr Atiq said.