Israeli Envoy Should be Taken
to Task for his Misbehavior

The highly intemperate comments of Israeli Ambassador in India, in response to Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s a public criticism of Israeli attacks on Palestinian people in Gaza, is a brazen assault on India’s democratic political practices by the Israeli authorities and needs to be dealt with seriously.

Ms. Priyanka Gandhi was expressing an opinion shared by almost the entire global public sphere, when she tweeted that “the Israeli state is committing genocide in Gaza.” Even senior Israeli politicians like former prime minister Ehud Olmert and many others in that country itself have expressed similar views, castigating the present government for its acts of human rights violations and genocidal war on the defenceless Palestinian people in the past two years. As a country with a history of supporting just causes in all parts of the world and defending people everywhere against all kinds of atrocities, India has a right to raise its voice against the present situation in Gaza and express its concern for the people there.

But the Israeli Ambassador, Reuven Azar, has chosen to pick a public spat with India’s senior Opposition member in Parliament, defying all normal diplomatic etiquettes and traditions. The ambassadors are not supposed to interfere with their host country’s internal affairs. Ms. Gandhi’s criticism has been as much against India’s ruling powers as against the Israeli establishment in view of the Indian government’s refusal to condemn these attacks in unequivocal terms in every available international forums. Still, the Israeli Ambassador has picked on Ms Gandhi, accusing her of “shameful deceit.” His claim is that all those killed in Gaza were “Hamas terrorists”, who were hiding behind people and shooting people who were trying to evacuate or receive assistance. He even claimed that Israel facilitated two million tonnes of food into Gaza and there has been no attempt at genocide there.

Such false claims by the Israeli Ambassador is laughable and evokes derision, considering the terrible developments being unfolded in Gaza in front of the entire world. Israel does not care for human rights, nor does it care for international public opinion. Their actions in Gaza are war crimes and the International Criminal Court has found them to be serious violations of international law. It is only a matter of time that these war criminals including Prime Minister Netanyahu are brought to trial for their heinous crimes against humanity.

In these circumstances, the Indian Government should take the matter seriously and raise strong protest with the Israeli Government about their envoy’s provocative behaviour against a member of India’s Parliament. The Narendra Modi Government should understand that allowing foreign entities to dabble in India’s domestic affairs is a matter of concern and if allowed continue unchecked, it would prove to be a big embarrassment for the country in the global stage. Hence it is necessary for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take steps to officially voice its displeasure about these provocative comments.

Elyas Muhammed Thumbe
National General Secretary
Social Democratic Party of India