A recent statement from the American Jewish Congress criticizing a United Nations resolution and cautiously welcoming a shift in a group of Muslim states’ stance on Israel sparked unexpected buzz in Pakistan — from talk shows to social media.
Our statement released in New York turned into a national conversation thousands of miles away.
Here’s what happened:
- A Shift: This month, the UN Human Rights Council passed an anti-Israel resolution led by Pakistan and backed by the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). While we strongly condemned it, we also noted a shift: for the first time, the resolution condemned the October 7 attacks, the targeting of Israeli civilians, and the mistreatment of hostages.
- Widespread Media Attention: Our April 11 press release was picked up by Pakistani media, debated on TV, and cited by political opposition parties. The animated discussion marked a step forward in the wider debate on possible Israel-Pakistan relations in the future.
- Official Government Response: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry issued an official statement that mirrored key points in our statement, emphasizing that the controversial UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution was a consensus product — with formal Palestinian approval.
- Massive Traffic Spike: Between April 11–16, 2025, our website, www.AJCongress.org, saw more than 40,000 new Pakistani visitors, a significant increase that underscores growing interest in our work.
- Strategic Messaging: Our statement represented a significant attempt at engaging Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Muslim umbrella organization, the OIC. Our initiative helped influence the conversation on Israel in these places.
- Public Outreach: In addition to the Pakistani foreign ministry, countless Pakistani policy and media influencers released video explainers and generated social media traffic to manage public perception — a sign of how deeply our message resonated.
Context You Should Know
- Ongoing Tensions: The press release came amid a boycott campaign targeting international brands in the context of the war in Gaza and increased street-level unrest in Pakistan, giving our statement even more visibility.
- Track Record of Engagement: This isn’t the first time our voice has mattered in the region. A 2023 press release on Israel-Pakistan trade sparked a week of debate. And back in 2005, AJCongress helped facilitate a diplomatic breakthrough between the two countries that still echoes today — read more here.
Why It Matters
This moment is a powerful reminder that thoughtful, principled advocacy can ripple outward in unexpected — and important — ways. It’s also a reflection of the credibility, relationships, and persistence that define our approach to global Jewish diplomacy.
See It for Yourself
Some of the most prominent examples are listed below.
A Pakistani national security commentator, Imtiaz Gul, also the executive director for the Center for Research & Security Studies (CRSS), released a video explainer to contextualize the AJCongress press release to Pakistani viewers in the local language [Link].
Retired Pakistani ambassador Abdul Basit released a video commentary on AJCongress’ press release. He is the president of Pakistan Institute of Conflict & Security Studies (PICSS) [Link].
A Pakistani YouTuber with more than a half-million subscribers does a show on AJCongress’ statement [link].
The AJCongress was viral In Pakistan in 2023 thanks to our statement on Israel-Pakistan trade [link].
Pakistani influencer with 3.8 million followers on X highlights American Jewish Congress’ release [link].
