JERUSALEM - Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed hope in an interview on Friday that he would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon whom he praised for pulling troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip.Karzai said that he would follow the lead of neighouring Pakistanâs President Pervez Musharraf, who shook hands with Sharon at the UN General Assembly last month, if the opportunity arose. âIn my eyes it is a positive development that Musharraf shook Prime Minister Sharonâs hand,â he told the Yediot Aharanot daily. âIf I had an opportunity to meet the Israeli prime minister, I would do so.
âInshallah (God willing) I will also meet Prime Minister Sharon soon,â he added.
The president however recalled how Afghanistan had played host to a now rapidly dwindling Jewish community which was concentrated in the western city of Herat. âIn Afghanistan there was an impressive Jewish community, and the relations between them and the Afghans were excellent,â he said.
But when pressed on whether he would envisage diplomatic relations with the Jewish state, Karzai stuck to the line that full ties would not come about until the creation of a Palestinian state. âWe want to see peace between Israel and the Palestinians, we want to see an end to violence on both sides. The Palestinians have a right to live in peace and Israel has a right to live in peace,â he said.
âWe welcome Israelâs withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. This is a good thing that the Israeli government did. When there is further progress and the Palestinians begin to get a state of their own, Afghanistan will be glad (to establish) full relations with Israel.â