The recent Hamas attack on Israel has set off a diplomatic tightrope for India. India has traditionally maintained close ties with both Israel and the Arab world, and this latest conflict has put it in a difficult position.
On the one hand, India has a strong relationship with Israel, which has been a major supplier of military equipment and technology to India. India also has a growing economic relationship with Israel, with bilateral trade between the two countries exceeding $5 billion in 2022.
On the other hand, India also has close ties with the Arab world. India imports a significant portion of its oil from the Arab Gulf states, and it has a large Indian expatriate population in the region. India also has strong cultural and religious ties to the Arab world, and it is important for India to maintain good relations with its Arab neighbors.
The Hamas attack on Israel has put India in a difficult position, as it has to balance its relationship with Israel and its relationship with the Arab world. India has condemned the Hamas attack, but it has also called for restraint on both sides. India has also urged both sides to engage in dialogue to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Congresss’ Appeasing Mentality
This is what the official stance is. But today we are not talking about what Indian government should do or not, today we are amazed by the stance the Congress party has taken vis-à-vis Hamas attack on Israel. Palestinian terrorists entered Israel, killed, raped and desecrated dead bodies apart from taking civilian hostages. But, Congress has passed a resolution in support of Palestine and not Israel, which bore the brunt of inhuman terrorist attack on its citizens. What hypocrisy is that?
It is not that Congress’s love for Palestine is newfound. For the sake of votes or you can say for the fear of Muslims, Congress have always supported the terrorist state like Palestine? When nobody in the world cared to give Palestine recognition, our great PM Jawaharlal Nehru gave it the recognition and made an official terrorist state. Under Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s as the official voice of the Palestinian people. India developed its relationship with Al Fatah, the PLO's major political organisation. India recognised the PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people on January 10, 1975, and granted it permission to open an autonomous office in New Delhi.
India under Congress became the first non-Arab state to acknowledge the PLO even though it was one of the last non-Muslim nations to recognise Israel. From 1950 to 1992, India never cared for the right thing and carried the burden of Palestinian cause on its shoulder. Now why would India support Palestine was best explained by Nehru. India held off on not recognising Israel, according to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, "out of our desire not to offend the sentiments of our friends in the Arab countries," he later added. And what did these friends did. They remained neutral during Indo-china war in 1962 and supported Pakistan in 1965 and 1971 war.
The descendants of Nehru went a step further than him They made the a dreaded terrorist a national icon. Rajiv Gandhi awarded Yasir Arafat the "Indira Gandhi International Peace Prize" after Indira Gandhi initially recognised Palestine for appeasing Muslims and gave him the "Nehru Peace Prize"! He was handed a Boeing by Rajiv Gandhi so he could travel the globe!
In the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Countries), the same Arafat declared Kashmir to be "an integral part of Pakistan," and the terrorist declared that "whenever Pakistan wants, my fighters will fight for the freedom of Kashmir!"
And yes, in addition to all of that, Yasir Arafat was the first recipient of an international award in India despite being labelled a terrorist in 103 nations, having hijacked 6 aircraft, and killing 2000 innocent people! Yasir Arafat then publicly sided with Pakistan on the Kashmir problem, and he openly claimed in the entirety of Islamic nations that as Muslims are being killed by non-Muslims in both Palestine and Kashmir, the Muslim world as a whole must unify on both issues!
You all must have seen the gory videos of the Hamas attack on Israel. This is the time of social media, so you got the videos to see, but think of them during Yom Kippur war, attacks by Black September Organisation, Munich massacre. Israel is facing the brunt of Islamic terrorism just like India has endured such attacks for centuries now. But despite that Congress supporting Hamas/Palestine is beyond me. I am all for the peaceful resolution between the two nations but not by playing victim card. It is high time that you think about your support to Congress and its policies and what will the grand old party make India, when it will be in power.
Challenges Ahead
There are a number of challenges that India faces in dealing with the recent Hamas attack on Israel. One challenge is that India has to balance its relationship with Israel with its relationship with the Arab world. India does not want to alienate either side, and it needs to be careful not to take sides in the conflict.
Another challenge is that India has to deal with the domestic political implications of the conflict. The Muslim population in India is relatively large, and there is a strong sense of solidarity among Muslims around the world. The Hamas attack on Israel has angered many Muslims in India, and this could have domestic political implications for the Indian government.
India also faces the challenge of dealing with the international community. The international community is divided on the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and India needs to be careful not to isolate itself by taking a strong position on either side.
Despite the challenges, India has a number of options in dealing with the recent Hamas attack on Israel. One option is for India to continue to play a mediating role between the two sides. India has a long history of mediating international conflicts, and it could use its good offices to help bring about a ceasefire and a resumption of dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.
Another option for India is to focus on humanitarian assistance. India could provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, who have been hardest hit by the conflict. This would help to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and would also demonstrate India's commitment to peace and justice.
Finally, India could also work to strengthen its ties with both Israel and the Arab world. India could do this by increasing trade and investment with both sides, and by promoting cultural and educational exchanges. This would help to deepen India's ties with both sides and would make it easier for India to play a mediating role in the conflict.
The recent Hamas attack on Israel is a serious challenge for India. India needs to be careful not to alienate either side in the conflict, and it needs to be mindful of the domestic political implications of the conflict. However, India has a number of options in dealing with the conflict, and it could play a constructive role in helping to bring about a peaceful resolution.
By NILABH KRISHNA
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
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