THE All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation, in a statement issued on July 3,

has strongly disapproved Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel from July 4 is the maiden visit to the country of an Indian prime minister. Though there has been a drift in the Indian policy towards Israel during the past, but a prime minister’s visit to the country raises the process of legitimising the Zionist State to a qualitatively new level.  Obviously, this is inconsistent with the anti-colonial and anti-discriminatory fundamentals of our foreign policy legacy. 

It is well-known that Israel continues to carry forward its unacceptable and illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and continues to follow the policy of illegal settlement. This is the major element which festers thorn like in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.  This is, therefore, the core issue, but for whose resolution, no durable peace and justice can be established in the Middle East.  That Israel can violate UN Security Resolutions with impunity in a protracted manner is due to the support it receives from the US-led western powers.  This is despite the growing public opposition to Israel and its western backers from citizens which is particularly being evidenced through the popularity of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction (BDS) programme in US and Europe. 

Prime Minister Modi’s visit is also going to further reinforce the military and security relationship of the two countries.  Israel is now the second largest defence supplier of military hardware to India.  On the other hand, India is the largest buyer from Israel’s defence industry.  Naturally, the profit earned by the Israeli defence industry finances the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. Howsoever, the current Indian ruling establishment may claim, the fact remains Israel-Palestine policy of India cannot be de-hyphenated.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit also signals a new and aggressive ideological dimension. This is particularly manifested in the growing admiration by our own ultra-nationalists for Israel’s security establishment and the way they deal with Palestinian protest and their legitimate struggle for having an independent State.  It is this parallel , which is often drawn in dealing with the situation in the Kashmir valley, realising little that it implicitly raises questions about the legitimacy of our Kashmir policy. 

There is a growing evidence of Israel’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia in fomenting trouble in vast stretches of West Asia; and, abetting of terrorist organisations like Islamic State. That Israel is the lynchpin of US global geopolitics in the region helps it to escape, if not actually get support from mainstream global media to gloss over its obnoxious violation of human rights   and international law. 

Therefore, the AIPSO calls upon its units and all other  forces, groups and individuals who cherish freedom, democracy,  justice and peace to raise their voice of opposition to PM Modi’s visit to Israel and reiterate the solidarity for Palestine’s legitimate right to independence and a  sovereign State.