The Congress on Monday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that Israel enjoys “tremendous support" in India, with senior party leader Jairam Ramesh saying the claim was incorrect and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s position should not be mistaken for the views of the Indian people.
Ramesh’s remarks came after referring to comments by US Vice President JD Vance, who, according to him, had said Israel no longer had a powerful ally apart from the United States. He noted that Netanyahu had responded by saying Israel continued to enjoy strong support in India.
“Mr. Netanyahu is wrong," Ramesh said. The Congress leader alleged that while Netanyahu had the backing of the “Modani empire" and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained “blindly devoted" to the Israeli leader, crores of Indians condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Iran and Lebanon.
Ramesh accused Israel of carrying out “genocide" in Gaza, alleging that even children had not been spared. He also referred to the displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Israeli air strikes in Iran, including targeted assassinations, and its military offensive in southern Lebanon, describing them as “assaults on humanity itself".
He further criticised the Prime Minister for not speaking out against Israel’s actions. “The self-styled, award-hungry Vishwaguru’s stony silence on Israel’s actions is a betrayal of India’s civilisational ethos and values. It is simply unconscionable," Ramesh said.
He also said that receiving a “certificate" from Netanyahu was “no badge of honour", claiming that the Israeli Prime Minister himself was becoming increasingly isolated and had drawn frustration and anger even from US President Donald Trump, whom Ramesh described as a friend of Modi.
