With War
filled Middle East not ready to accept the ceasefire, world media become tired
of reporting the blood filled streets of Gaza. In the last 11 days, Israel
pounded Gaza with naval artillery,
tank shells, and airstrikes adding more death toll and agony to
Palestinian people, leaving behind trail of destruction everywhere. Rubble, twisted metal, and broken glass
scattered throughout the streets of Gaza. With Power lines are hit, the
darkness surrounds everywhere in Gaza strip. If Hamas think that their rockets attacks in southern Israel will lead to them freedom from Israeli oppression, Israeli government was equally adamant that their ground offensive will save their population from Hamas rocket attacks. International community find very difficult at this stage to arrange a truce between both sides and war consumes with even innocent kids dying in beaches.
At this instant of carnage, people in my country are divided in supporting either of the nations. In social media,
equal numbers of messages with hashtags #IndiawithIsrael #IndiawithPalestine
were available. Social activists, left wing politicians, Muslims join their
campaign against Israel. On the other hand Nationalists, Right wing politicians
argue that Israel has every reason to defend its country through these attacks.
After NDA government initially refused to debate on this war scenario, some discussion
happened today in upper house of parliament without yielding any resolution.
New Indian governments in last few years had significant change in foreign
policy related to Israel and Palestine.
Decades
back when country become independent, Mahatma Gandhi stiffly opposed the idea
of Israel creation. He argued that creation of nations based on religions is
not acceptable as he proposed same concept in sub-continent during Indo-Pak
partition. India voted against Israel admission in U.N in 1949. In 1954 India’s
1st Prime minster Nehru stated in a statement that “Creation of Israel was a violation of international law”. On
the other hand Hindu Nationalists led by Sangh parivar were jubilant on Israel
creation and supported the same. India was the first non-arab country to
contemporaneously recognise the Palestine
Liberation Organisation's authority as "the sole legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people. PLO office was setup in New Delhi in 1975 and New Delhi’s
office was opened in Gaza in 1996.
With fall of Soviet Union in 1991and due to strategic and
security compulsions, India shed its decade’s long policy of non-alignment, pro-Arab.
India started its diplomatic relations with Israel from 1992.Relations become
deeper and deeper every year, with visiting Israeli foreign minister once said
“India is most Pro-Israel nation in world, even ahead of America”. Israel is
one of selective nations which didn’t condemn when India conducted nuclear
tests in 1998.India’s procurement of arms like Barack anti-ship missile; UAV’s
further cemented the ties of Indo-Israel. In 2008, Israel overshadowed Russia, becoming
India’s largest arms supplier. Along with defense deals, cultural, science and
technology ties also improved and maintained in last few years. With all these
developments happened in last few years, whenever Israel attacks Palestine with
causality mounting, parties like congress, communists, Samajwadi party raise
their voice. Their raise of voice is often criticized by Nationalist and right
wing parties as appeasement towards Muslims for votes.Even during recent
pro-Israel years, India tried to provide financial assistance to Palestine in
rebuilding education related infrastructure.
Israel History
Until
the 20th century, Jews were one of most oppressed, prosecuted
community in the world. From 4000BC Jews were slaughtered by Egyptians,
Christians, Russians, Nazis and many more. They migrated throughout Western and
Eastern Europe due to widespread pogroms. As Jews were scattered throughout
Europe and central Africa, an new organization called Zionist organization was
formed to unite all the Jews. At this time Jew organizations felt nostalgic
towards their “Land of Israel” around “Bethlehem”. With this in mind Zionist
organizations planned to build their nations around same area. In the meantime
Arab people called Palestine’s lived around the Bethlehem. Few wealthy and
Zionist sympathetic British government officials supported the Jews settlement
in places where Palestine’s living. In 1917 British foreign minister, Lord Balfour announced Balfour Declaration of 1917,
which stated that the British Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people". This
declaration was successfully passed in League of Nations in 1922.
Tens of
Thousands of Jews started migrated towards Palestinian lands and started to
occupy it in pretext of the declaration. Often riots were reported between
Jewish and Palestine people. Until 1940, this migration occurred even though
other Arab nations tried to prevent it. In 1940’s Hitler led Nazi regime
started Holocaust killing nearly 6 million Jews. After end of WWII, the illegal immigrations again started towards Palestine
lands.U.N formulated a partition plan in 1947 giving 2/3 territories of arab
land to Israel.U.N General assembly successfully passed partition plan in
1948.With major discontent from arab countries, jubilant mood of Jews for their
new country “Israel” is short lived. Murders, reprisals happened routinely
between Jews and Arabs. In 1948, Arab-Israeli war started, Israel was attacked
from all sides by Arab countries. But the Israel first PM countered all nations
with brave strategy. Enemies are driven back and Israel drawn its first blood. After
then many wars like Yom-Kippur war happened, and Israel attained decisive
victory in almost all wars.
Also
there is mention in the history books that Jews grabbed land from Arabs through
money lending. Jews have the history of business of money lending from initial
years. During initial 20th century, Jews gave money to Arabs with
high interests, with many poor Arabs unable to pay their interests and dues
returned their land in return. These small grabbed lands become piece of
nation. These happenings were alleged to be planned conspiracy by Zionist
organizations in late 1800’s
Need of the hour
Few days back, even some Israelis opposed the Gaza offensive,
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/why-im-on-the-brink-of-burning-my-israeli-passport-9600165.html
But with everyday passage of this war and with casualties started to mount in Israel forces side, Israeli people once felt bad for Israeli aerial bombing started to ask revenge with Palestinians
As told in "Nicholas Kristof" story of "Who's right and wrong in middle east", good people from both sides especially Israel need to sit and work out a truce that will end ongoing carnage.
One of
the saddest truths of this Land called Israel is, its birthplace of three major
religions namely Jewism, Christanism and Islam. But in the same place, people
of either community never lived in peace, land always drenched with violence
and soaked with blood. Hope all the child of “Abhraham” live in peace in this
blessed land in near future
