Modi Defends Israel: Echoes of Nehru's Legacy on Middle-East Tensions

The Congress party on Thursday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his address to the Israeli Parliament, which they claimed served as an 'unabashed defense' of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Modi's visit and his speech, centered around the Gaza Peace Initiative, were positioned as initiatives toward 'just and durable peace.' His remarks were part of a larger message of solidarity with Israel, especially following the recent terrorist attack by Hamas.

Highlighting historical ties, the Congress referenced India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and his correspondence with Albert Einstein regarding the creation of Israel. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh pointed out that Nehru had expressed sympathy towards both Jews and Arabs, lamenting the ongoing conflict and British colonial influence in Palestine during his era.

Nehru's nuanced approach, as documented in his letter to Einstein, was cited by Congress as a more balanced viewpoint than Modi's contemporary stance. The history of such diplomatic correspondence highlights the longstanding complexity of the Middle East conflict and India's evolving role within it.