Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel has triggered sharp reactions from the Opposition, with the Congress and the CPM accusing the government of ignoring the “genocide” in Gaza.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted on X: “I hope that the Hon Prime Minister @narendramodi ji mentions the genocide of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza while addressing the Knesset on his upcoming trip to Israel and demands justice for them. India has stood for what is right throughout our history as an independent nation. We must continue to show the light of truth, peace and justice to the world.”
Priyanka has been a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause along with her party’s leadership, especially after Israel’s offensive on Gaza that started in 2023 after the Hamas carnage. More than 80,000 people, overwhelmingly Palestinian, have been slain.
The Wayanad MP used the term “cold-blooded murder” to condemn Israel’s aerial bombing of Gaza in March 2024 that claimed more than 400 lives, mostly non-combatants. She had even carried a Palestine-themed bag in Parliament during the winter session that year, inviting a barrage of invective from the BJP ecosystem.
Referring to the 2008 film Ghajini, where Aamir Khan plays an amnesic protagonist, BJP spokesman Gaurav Bhatia responded: “The female Ghajini of Indian politics is back! Carrying a ‘Palestine’ bag to Parliament is easy, but having the moral courage to condemn the Oct 7th massacre of 1,200+ innocents, women being abducted and raped is clearly too hard for @priyankagandhi.”
Although India recognised Israel during the Congress government in 1992, the Nehru-Gandhis have consistently backed Palestine’s independence as part of a two-state solution, which remains India’s official position as well. However, pro-Palestine activists had condemned the India-Israel Business Summit 2024 in Bengaluru, which saw Karnataka’s Congress government participate in as well as crack down on protests.
The CPM highlighted the expansion of the conflict in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Its politburo said in a statement: “Despite a ceasefire, there are daily violations by Israel, which conducts strikes killing scores of Palestinians. In the occupied West Bank, there are stepped-up attacks on Palestinians and a spurt in illegal settlements.
“The Modi visit is thus a betrayal of the Palestinian cause and legitimises the murderous Netanyahu regime. The declared intent of the visit is also to deepen strategic, military and economic ties with a Zionist expansionist regime which seeks to dominate the region with the help of the US. The visit is all the more inopportune because it is taking place at a time when the US is preparing to attack Iran militarily at the instigation of Israel....”