Congress Critiques Modi's Speech in Israel, Claims It Undermines India's Moral Authority

Congress Responds to Modi's Address in Israel

On Thursday, the Congress party expressed its disapproval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent address to the Israeli Parliament, asserting that it has compromised India's moral standing.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh took to social media to label the speech as an 'unabashed defense' of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Modi's host.

During his address on Wednesday, Modi conveyed India's unwavering support for Israel, stating that New Delhi stands 'firmly, with full conviction, in this moment and beyond.' This statement came as he extended condolences for the loss of 1,200 lives, predominantly Israelis, due to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

'We feel your pain' and 'share your grief,' Modi expressed to the Knesset.

Ramesh also referenced an article by Eitay Mack, an Israeli lawyer and human rights advocate, published on Wednesday, which criticized Modi's approach as one that belittled India.

Mack remarked that the Indian leader 'acted and spoke like the leader of a minor state visiting a global power, desperate to curry favor,' suggesting that Modi had 'humiliated' both himself and India.

In his comments, Ramesh highlighted that Mack's insights revealed the shortcomings of Modi's address, which he claimed diminished India's moral authority.

Additionally, Modi noted that India recognized Israel on the day of his birth during his speech.

Ramesh quoted former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's reflections on the formation of Israel in a letter to physicist Albert Einstein, where Nehru emphasized the need for fairness and understanding from both sides to achieve a lasting solution.

This speech marked Modi's first visit to Israel following the Hamas incursion and the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israel has conducted extensive air and ground assaults on Gaza, resulting in over 70,000 fatalities.

A UN inquiry in September accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a claim that Israel's foreign ministry dismissed as 'distorted and false.'

Modi also mentioned the Gaza Peace Initiative, which has the backing of the UN Security Council, as a potential route to regional stability.

He reaffirmed India's 'firm support' for the peace plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump.

The US has invited India, among around 60 nations, to participate in Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza, which aims to address conflicts, initially focusing on Gaza.

While India has not formally joined the initiative, it attended the board's inaugural meeting on February 19 as an observer.

The Board of Peace for Gaza is part of a US-supported ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas, with a UN Security Council resolution in November authorizing the board's oversight of Gaza until at least the end of 2027.

India has consistently advocated for a two-state solution that establishes a sovereign, viable, and independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, coexisting peacefully.