India has a large number of Israel supporters. Their “You hit me, I hit you back with double the force” attitude has been appreciated by a large number of Indians. Israel has been a good friend of India since 1992. India and Israel share 23 years of diplomatic ties. India and Israel work closely in sectors of Agriculture, mining, energy and of course defense. Israel has been India’s ally in combating terrorism. While no country has supported India in its pursuit against Pakistan, Israel has been doing it for long and very visibly and vocally so. Israel provided India with images of Pakistani locations using its UAVs during the Kargil War in 1999. India may have won the war without it but it would have taken longer and would have caused a great many causalities on the Indian side. Israel supported India’s “Operation Parakram”, a limited military strike against Pakistan in 2002, by supplying hardware through special planes.
But what has Israel gotten in return from India?
Hypocrisy. Oh and #PrayForGaza of course.
Yes that is what we have been doing. We have silently been a part of the international society for condemnation of Israel. We have brazenly denied Israel of what it rightfully deserves. We have been advocates of Gaza’s rights but we have failed to acknowledge that Israel is combating against a Fanatic outfit that is hell-bent on slaughtering every Israeli they can get a hold of. United Nations refuses to probe Hamas’ war crimes. The world has largely been duplicitous on the matter of Israel and Palestine and we have just toed their lines.
But, Thanks to the first right wing prime minister from the Congress clan, Shri PV Narsimha Rao. It was largely because of his efforts that the relations between India and Israel normalized in in January 1992. But even he couldn’t become the first Indian Prime Minister of India to visit Israel. The fear of backlash at home was quite evident. Now the world looks up at Narendra Modi who could very well be the first prime minister of India to visit Israel. Although the MoEA clarified that it was a “proposed” visit and the details are not finalized yet, the detractors are at it already.
Congressman Anand Sharma said “India has had a consistent and firm position on the rights of Palestinians for a state of their own since the days of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He called the idea of visiting Israel worrisome.”
The Communist Party of India-Marxist pointed out that “the current Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu was dominated by rightwing and Jewish extremist parties and that Modi’s Israel visit amounts to deserting Palestine.”
Aam Aadmi Party and other leftist outfits are yet to issue a public statement but let us not waste any time in pondering over their upcoming nuggets of wisdom. They were amongst the first ones to pray for Gaza so their stance is almost clear.
So the left is once again united in their cause against Israel.
And many of the National dailies were afraid of an Arab backlash. I am not too sure what that means? That probably means that we’ll cease to exist in the good books of Arabs who give us oil and employ so many Indians. Wow! Some logic. I am not too sure if India’s largely pro-Arab stance in the Middle East has borne any sweet fruits till now? They never supported India in resolving the issues in Kashmir. They have never put any kinds of pressure on Pakistan as far as matters of curbing terrorism are concerned. In fact they have brazenly stood by Pakistan’s side. Fine they give us oil but hey! We pay for it. Don’t we?
It’s time that Modi takes a friendlier step towards Israel. India and Israel united will be a force to reckon with. Modi must visit Israel and Israel must get from India what it truly and rightfully deserves. Israel and India need to become open friends rather than closet allies. Backlashes will happen at home, antigovernment slogans will trend on Twitter but that shouldn’t discourage the Indian Prime Minister who has come a long way jumping on the heads of ranters, critics, and disparagers.
Picture Courtesy: http://www.hindustantimes.com