Times of Israel confirms Israel’s growing interest in Balochistan to counter Iran, Pakistan

TEL AVIV: An article published in The Times of Israel on Sunday confirmed Israel’s growing strategic interest in Balochistan as part of a broader effort to counter Iran and Pakistan.

Authored by Sergio Restelli, an Italian political advisor and geopolitical analyst, the article—similar to a recent report by Al Jazeera—highlights the Middle East Media Research Institute’s (MEMRI) newly launched initiative: the Balochistan Studies Project (BSP).

According to the report, MEMRI—widely regarded as being aligned with Israeli intelligence circles—is now dedicating resources to studying and documenting the Balochistan issue in greater depth. While the initiative may appear academic on the surface, analysts interpret it as a signal of evolving strategic engagement.

“On face value, this initiative may be read as a recognition—perhaps even a first step toward engagement,” the article notes.

The report further states: “Some quarters in Israel now view the Baloch region not simply as a remote zone of instability, but as a strategically important space with geopolitical resonance.”

Israeli policy thinkers, the article explains, increasingly see value in supporting Baloch nationalist narratives as a form of indirect pressure on Iran and Pakistan. The launch of the BSP signals that the Baloch issue is now entering the realm of Israeli strategic planning and regional depth considerations.

While Israel’s growing interest in Balochistan may offer some degree of political validation, it also raises concerns about instrumentalization—the practice of using a movement or issue as a tool to advance specific geopolitical objectives.