What a sorry state of affairs in Palestine! Once-cherished soil becomes a field of fire and sorrow.
Such is the catastrophic dilemma in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Hamas, in a desperate move to end a decade-old blockade, attacked Israeli military posts along the Gaza strip, and consequently both parties suffered tragic losses.
India has been a strong advocate for Palestinian independence. With a moral compass guided by its old relationship with British colonialism, India once empathized with Palestine push for sovereignty. India was among the first non-Arab countries to recognize Palestinian independence in 1988.
India, under the BJP’s leadership, has recently been somewhat of a juggler on the international stage, balancing its relationships with shrewd caution. While Narendra Modi shared hugs with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he also freely extended his hand of friendship to Palestinians. Yet, as cricket teaches us, even the best juggler occasionally drops a ball.
The dreadful incident was the Israeli strike on a hospital. Now, where is even a single clearer statement condemning Zionist killings and hundreds of injured in a hospital? Isn’t it time one raises his voice for the innocent lives lost? India has clearly failed.
Today, Arab nations are for sure sympathetic towards Palestinians, and any signs of India siding with Israel could spell diplomatic trouble. Some quarters argue that the BJP’s policies towards Muslims and their alleged support for Israeli strikes are a deliberate strategy aimed at their hardliner image towards Islam and Muslims.
Cornered by constant international pressure, India may be facing a difficult choice: Israel or the Arab world?
