Let's not be in fool's paradise: India can't condemn Israel

[Abingdonboy]

West Asia is amid an endless chaos. While the blood-spilling civil war in Syria refuses to die down, a fresh battle has started between the Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of innocent people are being killed and no move to re-establish peace in the region is visible. Will horrifying pictures of dead children and women continue to haunt us every time we unfold a newspaper or surf the Internet?

The plight of those innocent children and women is humanly unbearable but the problem is that sentiments have no place in the domain of realpolitik, which dominates foreign policy of a nation. There is no wrongdoer in politics, whether national or international, for pursuit of national interest is the only defining mantra. The Israeli and Palestinian interests can never be accommodated together no matter how much external interference is exercised and it is more futile to expect India to take a strong stand against the ongoing violence and condemn the 'guilty'. Protests have taken place in New Delhi and Srinagar where students and lawyers have been slamming Israel for the aerial attacks on Gaza Strip. Voices are being raised in the popular media against the hawkish men ruling in Tel Aviv. Allegations are being made that these attacks were pre-planned, keeping in mind the latest US election and the upcoming election in Israel early next year. The protesters slammed the silent Indian government and demanded de-escalation of the violence immediately. Indian foreign policy was always opportunistic and it's normal But why will the Indian government speak in favour of either party involved in the crisis? We tend to view our foreign relations from a Nehruvian perspective of the Cold War era.


But historically, India, which so proudly spoke of its non-aligned and hence independent foreign policy, actually adopted a morally convenient stand as and when seemed necessary. New Delhi never condemned the Soviet invasion in Hungary and the former Czechoslovakia in the 1950s and 1960s. A temporary prime minister in Charan Singh had condemned the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan in 1979 but when Indira Gandhi succeeded him next year, New Delhi's perception of the invasion took a turn. It then said that the Afghan government had actually invited the Soviets. In the initial years after Nehru's death, India had blatantly violated the ideology of non-alignment. India never condemned the US invasion in Vietnam and also openly entered into a military alliance with the USSR during the Bangladesh war to meet the challenges from US-Pakistan-China axis. That was the nature of our 'independent foreign policy'. In the 1970s, India used the CIRUS nuclear reactor set up in the 1950s with the help of the west for peaceful purposes to produce nuclear weapons. Later also, India built the Dhruva reactor for bomb-grade fuel. The country was doing all this despite preaching itself as a land of non-violence and supporter of universal disarmament. But there is no point in calling this hypocrisy. As pundits of international relations know, it is only permanent interests that matter and there can be no permanent friends or foes. In 2012, world politics is precisely a one-way traffic with little scope for manoeuvrability. The popular sentiments on the ground are putting pressure on New Delhi to take a strong stand against Israel but authorities in South Block know very well that it is not possible. India has asked both Israel and Palestine to show restraint and avoid taking extreme measures that could worsen the situation more and that is what it can do at the most. Humanitarian internationalism does not work these days and that is the bottom line. Complex Israel-Palestinian issue: Two extremist forces battle it out The prevailing situation in west Asia can not be judged in the black and white. The complex situation in Palestinian power centres needs to be understood before passing a verdict on the crisis. The victory of the extremist Hamas over the moderate Mahmoud Abbas-led Fatah has created the situation difficult in the very first place.

The death of Yasser Arafat had created a big vacuum in the Palestinian leadership and it was filled more by Hamas than a weakened Fatah. Abbas did not have the authority to leave a long-lasting impact on West Asia in terms of peace. Another factor that has intensified the crisis is Israel's hardline leadership. Tel Aviv found a more suitable opponent in Hamas than Abbas. A leader like Benjamin Netanyahu is more comfortable in dealing with Hamas's rocket attacks than actually engage himself in the politics of negotiation. The two extremist sides, hence, have kept on changing the strategy as and when necessary but never really the battle de-escalated. You can't really have a de-escalation unless one side softens the stand. Abbas was needed but he remained sidelined. Israel also killed Hamas's military leader Ahmad al-Jabari for he did not want to carry on with the battle with Tel Aviv. A third factor that has encouraged Hamas in its battle against Israel is that it has a number of friends lending it support. While Syria and Iran are already there, countries like Egypt and Turkey have begun interference for the Hamas, thanks to their worsened relations with Israel. The last two states are more important because they have an ally in the USA. The continuing Israel-Hamas conflict can also endanger Washington's plans in the West Asia and bolster Tehran. India's foreign policy dilemmas In this situation, it demands a sound judgement from New Delhi to express its voice. Humanitarian loss is not the key. The attack on an Israeli Embassy car in New Delhi allegedly by Iran earlier this year had put India in a tricky situation. Iran, which is a much older ally of India, secures the latter's energy needs while Israel is a major supplier of arms to India. In fact, the two has seen a steadily growing relationship in the recent years.


New Delhi can not really openly make a one-sided statement like 'Israel should stop killing innocent children and women' no matter how much pressure is created from below. On Iran, India can neither afford to inch very close to Tehran for it can't risk to antagonise Israel and the west nor can it alienate Iran for the latter can prove to be a vital ally as far as securing the post-2014 situation in Afghanistan and maintaining a check on Pakistan are concerned. The ground situation is complicated and it is not only India but several other nations including China that need to carefully chart out its ways in the volatile West Asia. Even the United Nations has stood crippled so far. Yes, faces of those killed children do shock us, but what can we do really? May God forgive us but we can continue living in a fool's paradise.

Let's not be in fool's paradise: India can't condemn Israel - Oneindia News

 

[JayAtl]

IMO they can but should stay out of it. But if they comment, there will be no effect on India - Israel relationship.

 

[Solomon2]

It was probably a mistake for India to ever open up relations with the PLO, as its charter is based on nullifying international law and treaties to support violence and conquest. Why, if you're supporting the PLO abroad, shouldn't you act the same way to support the causes you like at home?

 

[StormShadow]

IMO, India will just offer a formal lip service.

 

[humanfirst]

It was probably a mistake for India to ever open up relations with the PLO, as its charter is based on nullifying international law and treaties to support violence and conquest. Why, if you're supporting the PLO abroad, shouldn't you act the same way to support the causes you like at home?

How is charter of PLO violating international laws and treaties..?

 

[fallstuff]

Lets look at the realpolitik, does it really matter what Indias official stance is. Israel can care less.

On the other hand, more than a third of the remmitance comes to India from the ME countries.

 

[jayron]

Lets look at the realpolitik, does it really matter what Indias official stance is. Israel can care less.

On the other hand, more than a third of the remmitance comes to India from the ME countries.

And you thinking GCC is an enemy of Israel?

 

[Iggy]

Lets look at the realpolitik, does it really matter what Indias official stance is. Israel can care less.

On the other hand, more than a third of the remmitance comes to India from the ME countries.

So?? Its not like we went there for begging?? People from our country work hard for these money.. Arabs are not doing any favor to us.. They needed us as much as we needed them..

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Yes, we cant condemn Israel. We can give lip service. Strategic and Intelligence partnership with Israel now runs too deep to break or even for harsh words !
Really palestanian movement had its chances during Arafat, but now with Hamas, its totally lost. Sad but true. It now doesnt have a peacefull activist who can command respect in the world like nelson mandela or aung suu kyi.

 

[Tshering22]

It was probably a mistake for India to ever open up relations with the PLO, as its charter is based on nullifying international law and treaties to support violence and conquest. Why, if you're supporting the PLO abroad, shouldn't you act the same way to support the causes you like at home?

It is just for politicians to get vote from some communities who suffer identity disorder in our country.

Otherwise, the policy is the same:

"condemn" Israel in words, but support Israel in material and actions.

Israel is our key strategic partner. How can we meaningfully condemn it?

Besides, the airstrikes are simply in retaliation to rocket attacks that killed 10 Israelis.

They are defending themselves. Simple.

Lets look at the realpolitik, does it really matter what Indias official stance is. Israel can care less.

On the other hand, more than a third of the remmitance comes to India from the ME countries.

Well then how come Arabs are not so affected by this issue other than condemnation they issue on different international forums?

The "remittances" you say come from those Arab countries whose royalty are all staunch US allies and unconcerned about Israel. Their objective is to develop their countries economically and commercially.

There are thousands of Israeli-Americans working in strategic US defense companies that these GCC countries deal with. Do you think that they don't know about it?

They do and they do know damn well.

In the end, it is all business.

Only Pakistanis and Banglas take it seriously more than the people who are actually being affected.

 

[Solomon2]

It is just for politicians to get vote from some communities who suffer identity disorder in our country.

You don't see the connection between vocal support for Israel's enemies and the encouragement of the various armed insurgencies around India, do you?

 

[Cherokee]

You don't see the connection between vocal support for Israel's enemies and the encouragement of the various armed insurgencies around India, do you?

we Do ....

 

[SEAL]

It was probably a mistake for India to ever open up relations with the PLO, as its charter is based on nullifying international law and treaties to support violence and conquest. Why, if you're supporting the PLO abroad, shouldn't you act the same way to support the causes you like at home?

Its not like that if India supports Israel its in their national interest and its understandable, but behind the scenes Indians knows what Israel doing is wrong thats why they are maintaining balance approach towards Palestine people and Iran.

 

[Tshering22]

You don't see the connection between vocal support for Israel's enemies and the encouragement of the various armed insurgencies around India, do you?

We do. Unfortunately, we have a bunch of **** who have no love for the country and especially its culture.

So they will do anything to win a vote for their own importance.

And by armed insurgencies, I think you mean the state of J&K. Because the remaining ones are more or less drug-trafficking/local village banditry (here in NE) and has nothing to do with islamic mindset.

But I really hope and pray that our government just doesn't say ANYTHING at all on this matter.

Its not like that if India supports Israel its in their national interest and its understandable, but behind the scenes Indians knows what Israel doing is wrong thats why they are maintaining balance approach towards Palestine people and Iran.

Actually, the other way around.

We verbally "condemn" Israel but never in action because it serves our interests by ensuring that Israel is not affected negatively by our actions and at the same time retain friendship with the Arab (non-GCC) countries. GCC anyways already deals with them through USA.

 

[JayAtl]

It was probably a mistake for India to ever open up relations with the PLO, as its charter is based on nullifying international law and treaties to support violence and conquest. Why, if you're supporting the PLO abroad, shouldn't you act the same way to support the causes you like at home?

US is talking and supports the PLO too when they support a two state solution. India tends to want to be open to dialogue more because of it's large Muslim population. The support is limited to in spirit of resolving the conflict and nothing else.

You don't see the connection between vocal support for Israel's enemies and the encouragement of the various armed insurgencies around India, do you?

No. because it is not that complicated. their support is in terms of a two state solution. They don't support an iota of violence period. they don't advocate. It's very nuanced approach because of their countries make up. Let me put this way- your own studies in Israel showed that Indians were the people that most like Israelis. See the Forrest and not the tree...