By: Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
In unusually direct remarks, Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, warns that states which tolerate or patronize jihadist proxies ultimately endanger their own security.
Addressing Hamas, Pakistan-linked militant networks, and Islamist ideological movements, Ambassador Azar argues that terrorism cannot be contextualized or excused – and that only firm action, intelligence cooperation, and ideological clarity can prevent extremist networks from turning inward against their sponsors.
Question: US President Donald Trump has recently formed a “Board of Peace” with the stated objective of achieving lasting solutions for Gaza. What expectations does Israel have from this initiative, and in your view, can sustainable peace be achieved without fully neutralizing Iranian proxy groups such as Hamas?
Answer: Israel fully supports President Trump’s 20-point plan. The plan creates a clear path for stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza. It is very clear on the need for full dismantlement of Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Israel has already cleared more than 50% of Gaza from terrorist infrastructure.
Now it remains to be seen whether this diplomatic initiative can secure the demilitarization of the other half of the Strip. Both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have clearly stated that failure of Hamas to comply would force Israel to renew military pressure.
Israel prefers diplomatic means. It is of utmost importance for the international effort to include a de-radicalization component for the population. Gazans have been brainwashed by Hamas and affiliated organizations such as UNRWA during the last 20 years.
They advocated for the destruction of Israel. Unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority has been doing the same, and therefore, the technocratic governing committee of Gaza under the Board of Peace is expected to act differently. It must promote moderation and education for peace rather than conflict.
Question: President Trump has included Pakistan in the “Board of Peace”, despite Islamabad’s long-standing hostility toward the State of Israel and its historical engagement with various militant groups, including Hamas. Some analysts fear that elements within Pakistan’s military establishment – particularly its intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) – could undermine the process through covert alignments with terrorist actors. How do you assess this concern?
Answer: The Board of Peace comprises dozens of countries and is headed by President Trump himself. The broad participation by US invitation appears to us to be an attempt to bring all the various players, including those with a more problematic attitude, such as Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar, under the UNSCR 2803 consensus.
Like the resolution itself, these countries have adopted the 20-point plan and are expected to get Hamas into compliance.
Israel’s security requirements are non-negotiable. We have made it clear that we will not accept the presence in Gaza of forces from states that are openly hostile to Israel or that have a record of supporting terrorist organizations.
Ultimately, Israel’s approach is guided by a simple principle: safeguarding our national security while ensuring that any diplomatic process genuinely contributes to stability and prevents Hamas from re-emerging as a threat.
Question: Following its inclusion in the “Board of Peace”, do you believe Pakistan may reconsider its long-standing refusal to normalize relations with Israel, especially if meaningful cooperation becomes necessary to achieve a durable solution in Gaza?
Answer: Countries that wish to normalize their relations with us would have to commit to the recognition of Israel and refrain from any support for terrorism.
Question: You have recently warned about the engagement of Hamas leaders in countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, describing it as a serious security concern. Could you elaborate on the nature of Hamas’s connections with Islamist groups in these countries? Additionally, do you foresee Pakistan sharing intelligence regarding Hamas-linked activities within its territory, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)?
Answer: Alarmingly, the radical Islamists view the atrocious 7th of October terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas as an inspiration. They’d like to imitate the tactics and export them to other parts of the world.
What we’ve undergone in 2023 has been replicated in Pahalgam and will spread to other places. That’s why Hamas leaders are being invited and shamelessly celebrated. The international community should be united in isolating those who support or sponsor terrorism.
Question: A local Islamist group in Bangladesh reportedly hosted senior Hamas figures, including Sheikh Khaled Quddumi and Khaled Mashal. From Israel’s security perspective, what objectives might Hamas be pursuing by expanding its footprint into Bangladesh, and how does this development affect regional security dynamics, particularly for India?
Answer: From Israel’s security perspective, Hamas’s engagement in countries like Bangladesh is part of a broader strategy to expand its regional and global network. By establishing contacts and operations beyond Gaza, including through senior Hamas leaders such as Sheikh Khaled Quddumi and Khaled Mashal, Hamas aims to secure funding, ideological support, and logistical channels for its activities.
This expansion also allows it to cultivate alliances with local Islamist groups, increasing its influence and operational reach across South Asia.
For regional security, this development is concerning. It creates new avenues for radicalization, cross-border coordination, and the movement of resources, which could directly or indirectly affect various countries.
Question: Media reports often describe Hamas as a proxy of Iran – an adversary of Saudi Arabia and several Gulf states, including Bahrain. Given Pakistan’s defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia, do you believe Hamas could exploit regional labor flows or security gaps to advance Iranian interests within the Kingdom? How serious is the risk of radicalization or recruitment of Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals for jihadist operations in Saudi Arabia?
Answer: Terrorists will affiliate with those who are willing to support them. There’s a proven record of these organizations becoming a double-edged sword. Those who play with fire by associating themselves with malign and illicit elements will sooner or later be burned, one way or another.
Question: Pakistan has long been accused of maintaining ties with militant groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as part of a broader strategic doctrine centered on jihadist proxies. In your assessment, could continued patronage of such extremist elements eventually pose a grave internal threat to Pakistan itself?
Answer: Continued patronage of extremist groups, whether Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or others, carries serious long-term risks for any country. History shows that networks cultivated abroad can eventually turn inward, radicalizing populations, undermining state institutions, and creating internal security challenges.
Question: Several Western governments have taken steps against Muslim Brotherhood–linked entities, citing security concerns. At the same time, organizations associated with Jamaat-e-Islami – often regarded as an ideological offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood – continue to operate in the United States, Europe, and parts of the Middle East. In your view, how can the international community effectively address the transnational challenge posed by such networks without undermining democratic freedoms?
Answer: The challenge posed by transnational networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood or its ideological offshoots, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, is real and cannot be ignored. These groups often operate across borders, influencing communities, funding extremist activities, or providing ideological support to militant actors. They abuse democratic societies by exploiting freedom of expression, association, and religion to advance their anti-democratic agenda.
Effectively addressing this challenge requires exposing the true nature of these elements and their links with their radical Islamic networks abroad.
International cooperation and information-sharing are crucial, so that states can act decisively against those who abuse democratic freedoms to advance extremism, while protecting the rights of ordinary citizens.
Question: How do you view India’s growing strategic cooperation with Israel in counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and defense technology, particularly in the context of threats emanating from Iran-backed networks?
Answer: Israel values its growing strategic cooperation with India in areas such as counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and defense technology, because both countries face complex security challenges that require proactive responses. Our partnership has matured into a robust framework that includes formal defense agreements, joint dialogues on shared challenges, and collaboration on advanced technology and methodology, reflecting deep mutual trust and practical benefits for both sides.
This cooperation enhances our respective abilities to detect and prevent threats, strengthens our defense industries through co‑development and co‑production of crucial systems, and builds resilience against emerging security risks. As partners, India and Israel are better positioned to protect their citizens and contribute to a more stable region through sustained engagement and shared expertise.
Question: What role can moderate Muslim-majority countries in South and Southeast Asia play in countering radical Islamist narratives propagated by groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood?
Answer: Moderate Muslim-majority countries in South and Southeast Asia have a crucial role to play in countering extremist narratives. By promoting inclusive religious education, supporting community-led initiatives, and engaging proactively in public messaging, they can challenge the ideological appeal of groups like Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood.
Their participation in regional cooperation, intelligence-sharing, and efforts to prevent radicalization can reduce the space in which extremist ideologies thrive, while reinforcing stability, development, and social cohesion in their societies.
Question: From Israel’s perspective, how critical is intelligence cooperation with South Asian nations – especially India and Bangladesh – in preventing the spread of transnational jihadist movements?
Answer: Terror networks operate across borders, exploiting gaps in monitoring, funding, and recruitment. Close collaboration enables the timely sharing of actionable information, coordination on counterterrorism operations, and the disruption of networks before they can expand. Strong intelligence partnerships are essential to protecting citizens, strengthening regional stability, and addressing threats that no single country can confront alone.
Question: Do you believe international institutions have been sufficiently effective in addressing state-sponsored terrorism, or is there a need for a new global framework to confront proxy warfare and ideological extremism?
Answer: The UN and other international institutions have often failed to take decisive action against state-sponsored terrorism, leaving gaps that extremist groups and their patrons continue to exploit. Existing frameworks are insufficient to address proxy warfare and the spread of ideological extremism.
There is a clear need for a more robust global approach – grounded in accountability, intelligence-sharing, and multilateral cooperation – because without decisive action, efforts to achieve lasting security will remain limited and fragmented. We should start by stopping to contextualize terror and call it out for what it is and refraining from giving it any form of justification.
Question: From a counterterrorism perspective, how serious would the security risks become if Hamas or other transnational terrorist organizations succeed in expanding their influence among vulnerable and marginalized communities – such as the Rohingya refugees and the “Stranded Pakistani” population in Bangladesh – and begin recruitment, indoctrination, or training as part of a broader regional terror strategy?
Answer: From a counterterrorism perspective, the risks would be extremely serious if Hamas or other transnational terrorist organizations succeed in expanding their influence among vulnerable populations. These groups could exploit social and economic marginalization to recruit, indoctrinate, and even train individuals, creating new nodes for regional terrorism.
Such expansion would not only destabilize host communities but also provide operational reach across borders, amplifying the threat to India, Bangladesh, and the broader region. Preventing extremist infiltration into vulnerable populations must therefore be a top priority for governments and international partners.
- Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning journalist, writer, research scholar, and Editor of Blitz. He regularly writes for local and international newspapers. Follow him on X: Salah_Shoaib
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