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Updated September 9th, 2021 at 11:42 IST

Taliban asserts interest in building diplomatic relations with all nations except Israel

Taliban spokesperson said that it was willing to build good relations with all countries including the US, which withdrew all its military presence last month.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Naftali Bennett
Image: AP | Image:self
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The Taliban is interested in establishing diplomatic relations with all countries, except Israel, the group's spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said on Wednesday. The Taliban leader told Russian agency Sputnik that it was willing to build good relations with all countries including the US, which withdrew all its military presence from Afghanistan, last month. He also extended an invite to countries that were willing to participate in reconstruction work in the war-torn nation. However, Israel was not amongst these countries, the Taliban spokesperson confirmed. 

Suhail Shaheen told Sputnik, "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.'" He added,  '"Of course, we won't have any relation with Israel. We want to have relations with other countries, Israel is not among these countries."

The Taliban harbours close relations with the anti-semitic terrorist organisation al-Qaeda, which is responsible for terrorising Israel. The two have joined hands to take over the Panjshir Valley-- the last-standing bastion of the resistance forces. Recently, al-Qaeda put out a two-page statement over the Taliban's triumph in the war-ravaged nation and congratulated the group.

Intelligence has claimed the Taliban will invite al-Qaeda to rebuild its capabilities in Afghanistan. Michael Morell, who twice served as acting CIA director addressed a panel on the 9/11 attacks on Wednesday where he suggested that the Taliban will give safe haven to al-Qaeda. Earlier this week, reports had revealed how Israel was going to be the next big target of al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, a move consistent with Osama Bin Laden's obsession with the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Taliban speaks to Israel journalist 

Last month, a controversy broke out after Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen gave an interview to Israel’s state TV news channel- Kan. Later, he lashed out at Kan journalist Roi Kais, claiming that he had not told him that he was Israeli. In the interview, the Taliban spokesperson had said that the terror group would protect non-Muslim minorities within Afghanistan, including Zebulon Simantov, the last Jew living there. Moreover, he also claimed that the Taliban does not have ties to Hamas, the Palestinian terror group which has been at loggerheads with Israel in the Gaza strip.

 

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Published September 9th, 2021 at 11:20 IST

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