Israel-Hamas War: Four days after Hamas teams invaded Israel and carried out mass killings, prompting Israeli retaliatory airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, the Foreign Ministry’s silence has caught the attention of many in the region, particularly in West Asian countries. has been done.
The diplomatic challenge for Delhi is to issue a statement at a time when the Arab world is seeing rifts for the first time over Hamas attacks on Israel, particularly the killing of civilians.
The UAE and Bahrain, which signed the Abraham Accords with Israel through the mediation of the United States, have criticized Hamas’ attack.
Diplomats from Arab countries in particular have noticed the MEA’s silence. The only tweets and PMO/MEA statements so far have been about expressing solidarity with Israel and about “terrorist attacks” against Israel.
At least three diplomats from Arab countries, including ambassadors, said they expected a more balanced and nuanced statement from the MEA.
“Indian diplomats have just drafted a great (G20) joint communiqué that is a great example of a diplomatic balancing act. They have been doing that for the past year and a half on the Russia-Ukraine war. They have skills, but we have not seen such skills in the last four days,” a diplomat from an Arab country told The Indian Express on Tuesday.
In West Asia, India has deep strategic ties with Israel on the one hand and Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Iran, Egypt, etc. on the other.
An estimated 90,000 Indians live and work in the West Asia region, and India imports more than 50 percent of its crude oil from the region. It also has high ambitions in terms of connectivity projects, as was recently demonstrated with the announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
There is therefore a need to strike a balance between both sides of the aisle in a deeply divided and polarized West Asia region.
For now, that’s the South Block defense. Officials say Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians have divided the Arab world, and there is no united front there either.
Consider the following:
The UAE issued a statement late Sunday condemning the Hamas attack as a “serious and serious escalation.” The UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was “appalled” by reports that Israeli civilians had been taken from their homes as hostages, but declined to criticize Israel’s deadly attack on Gaza.
“Civilians on both sides must always enjoy full protection under international humanitarian law and must never become targets of conflict,” the ministry said.
Bahrain also criticized the attack by Hamas, calling it a “dangerous escalation that threatens the lives of civilians.”
A statement from Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed “Bahrain’s condemnation of the reported kidnapping of civilians from their homes as hostages.” He called for a de-escalation of violence that threatens regional security and stability.
This is different from the past. The entire Arab world will raise its voice against Israel in unison. Of course, Iran will also participate.
Saudi Arabia has tried to strike a balance, but has referred to “Israeli occupation forces” and is seen as leaning toward Palestine, without condemning the Hamas attack.
Countries such as Qatar, Kuwait and Oman have criticized Israel.
“We are closely monitoring the unprecedented developments between various Palestinian factions and Israeli occupation forces, which have resulted in an escalation of violence on various fronts,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Riyadh called for an “immediate cessation of escalation” and “protection of civilians” between the two sides.
The report said Saudi Arabia had repeatedly warned of possible escalation in view of the “continued occupation and deprivation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and repeated deliberate provocations against their sanctity.” Stated.
Delhi is now in the unenviable position of being torn between different positions. On one side is Israel, his key strategic partner, and on the other is the divided Arab world.
The MEA, which typically issues public statements within hours or a day or two when developments of such significant global impact occur, has not issued any public statements since Saturday.
The Prime Minister or the Prime Minister’s Office has only spoken twice. The PMO’s statement on the telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reiterated by the MEA on Tuesday.
When the attack occurred on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi’s first tweet came at 4:44 p.m. “Deeply shocked by the news of the terrorist attack in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult time.”
Prime Minister Modi’s second post on the issue came at 2:38 pm on Tuesday after receiving a call from Prime Minister Netanyahu. “The people of India stand firmly with Israel during this difficult time. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he tweeted.
Arab diplomats said the Indian prime minister’s statements on the phone call and previous tweets were directed entirely at Israel and could be interpreted as not addressing the situation at all.
Delhi said the attack was so brazen and brutal, and included horrific footage of women, children and the elderly being killed and kidnapped, that any attempt to speak for the other side was pandering to the feelings of the other side. They think they will be seen as doing so and will be offended. The Israelis.
Officials said it was clear last Saturday who was the attacker and who was the victim, and there could be no parallel in this regard.
The Indian establishment believes that Israel should support India in times of crisis, whether it was the 1999 Kargil war or the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and that India must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in times of crisis. I have adopted the view that this is not the case. .
well read
Amitabh Bachchan wipes away tears as Chiranjeevi, Vidya Balan and Vicky Kaushal celebrate birthday on KBC: “Oor kitna rurayenge?”
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2023 World Cup Highlights: Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafiq score big as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets
But Arab diplomats feel there are ways to craft a nuanced statement at a time like this, when counterattacks by the IDF have already claimed more than 750 lives in the Gaza Strip.
One diplomat said statements could be balanced using phrases such as “cessation of hostilities,” “restraint from violence” and “exercise restraint.”
An Arab diplomat said several embassies have raised the issue of no statement from the MEA with the embassy in Delhi regarding a possible statement and are waiting to hear back from the embassy. said.
