Monday, July 21, 2014

Gaza Misery and India's Foreign Policy on Land of Israel

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
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

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