Embassy of the State of Palestine
Dhaka - Bangladesh
No ties with Israel until Palestine’s independence
11-06-2021
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Thursday that there is a soul-to-soul relation between the peoples of Bangladesh and Palestine since the time of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will continue the relationship with Palestine.
The foreign Minister said Bangladesh never recognized Israel though Tel Aviv approached Dhaka for recognition and building bilateral ties on several occasions "We largely decided that we would not make any (bilateral) ties with them," Momen said.
The Foreign Minister said there is a soul-to-soul relation between the peoples of Bangladesh and Palestine since the time of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already sent US$50,000 to Palestine people, the Foreign Minister said apart from the government, many private organizations and individuals have been sending donations there.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister said Bangladesh has not changed its position towards Israel and the foreign policy of Bangladesh remains the same as it was during Bangabandhu\'s time.
"Anyone (Bangladeshi citizen) going to Israel without government permission will be liable to be prosecuted� there has been evidence before," he said.
During the past eight decades of Israel-Palestine conflict, Bangladesh all along stridently supported the Palestinians\' cause and never recognised the existence of Israel while allowed Palestine to set up its embassy in Dhaka as an independent nation.