ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The American Jewish Congress celebrated the arrival of the first shipment of food products from Pakistan to Israel, marking a milestone in bilateral trade between the two nations, media reports said.
The transaction reportedly involved Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel BenKhald and three Israeli entrepreneurs.
Based in Karachi, BenKhald operates a kosher certification business, facilitating exports to global destinations.
The shipment – which included dates, dry fruits, and spices – was well-received, with a video of the items in a Jerusalem market gaining over 640,000 views, reported Voice of America, quoting a tweet from BenKhald.
While Israeli authorities and buyers have no issue with direct shipments from Pakistan, officials in Islamabad have yet to comment on the trade development.
Pakistani citizens are generally prohibited from traveling to Israel, as their passports clearly indicate they are valid for all countries except Israel.
However, BenKhald was among a select few Pakistanis who visited Israel last year on a unique trip, which included a visit to the Western Wall, a Jewish holy site in Jerusalem.
The journey was organized by a collaboration between American Muslim women activists and an Israeli organization promoting ties with Muslim countries.
The 15-member group primarily consisted of Pakistani Americans traveling on their US identification documents.