Pakistan calls for Islamic unity against Israel after signing defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement provides for a collective response if any of the three countries comes under armed attack.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Pakistan’s defense minister urged Islamic countries to coordinate against Israel after Pakistan joined Turkey and Saudi Arabia in a new collective defense alliance that considers an armed attack against one member an attack against all three.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif described Israel as a shared danger following Friday’s signing of the mutual defense agreement in Mecca.

“Israel poses a threat to all of us. Islamic countries must adopt a coordinated approach to address this threat,” Asif said.

“The Islamic world must unite to confront the common threat posed by Israel,” he added.

Asif has previously used strong language against Israel. In April 2026, he caused a diplomatic dispute after posting on social media that Israel was “evil”, a “curse for humanity,” and a “cancerous state.”

The Pakistani defense minister subsequently deleted the post. His statements drew sharp criticism from Israeli leaders and complicated Pakistan’s diplomatic role.

Friday’s agreement formally links the defense commitments of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, with each pledging to respond if another member is attacked. The pact is intended to broaden defense cooperation and collective deterrence among the three countries.

The pact was signed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement provides for a collective response if any of the three countries comes under armed attack.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan provided further details Saturday, describing the agreement as effectively equivalent to NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense provision. At the same time, Fidan said the alliance was not aimed at Iran.

The three countries plan to establish a ministerial committee based on a structure similar to NATO’s, Fidan told Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency. The alliance will also have a general secretariat headquartered in Saudi Arabia.

Fidan said Egypt could join the defense framework in the future if remaining technical issues are resolved.