RSS AND its fellow travelers in Congress have succeeded in selling one idea - India and Israel are both victims of Islamist terrorism; India and Israel are the only two states that are not caving in before the Islamic terror. After independence, the Nehruvian India had always kept aloof from Israel. India was one of the best friend of Palestine. The geo-politic realities like Arab world support to Pakistan on Kashmir issue and Indo-US relationship also made its impact this policy and changed the rules of game though not entirely turned the tables. For several years, the two countries are coming closer and Israel has become India’s second largest supplier of weaponry. It is said that working with Israel today should be beneficial to India as Israelis are the world leaders in avionics and in security. They have plenty of experience in dealing with Islamic terrorism also. Considerations of the national interest dictate such an alliance. ‘An enemy’s enemy is a friend’ is the underlying logic. The whole concept is based on deliberate ignorance about the ground realities. Israel has clandestine relationship with most of the Arab countries who have been the greatest supporters of the doctrines of Whabiyat. Its only Hammas that had refused to recognize Israel. It is still keeping alive the idea of return of Palestinian to their homeland. Islamic terrorism in India is represented by various Al Qaeda-affiliated groups like Lashkar-E-Toiba and Co that are religiously anchored in Wahhabi doctrine, a school so extremist that consider even Shia Muslims as “kafirs.” Israel’s bete noire Hizbollah, is a Shia which has a different tactics. This is the only entity that had defeated Israel in past in the battle fields and till date the best organized socio-religious armed wing of Lebanon supported by Iran. Hizbollah is the name which sends chill down the spine of bellicose of Israeli establishment. The Hizbollah has also played the game differently than Al Qaeda—it had rarely used the suicide bombers in contrast to the profusion of suicide bombers who play the drama of blood and cadavers often unsuccessfully. The lack of professionalism in the Al-Qaida trained bombers are in stark contrast to the Hizbollah’s professionalism in attacking American barracks in Beirut decades ago and forcing Israel out of Lebanon. India’s foes and Israel’s enemies are not the same. They might be distant cousins at best.India has long had an extensive trade relationship with the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has the third largest market for Indian exports while India imports significant quantities of oil. Dubai, Bahrain, Oman and rest of the middle eastern states are crowded with highly skilled, skilled, unskilled and illiterate Indians who are sending their hard-earned income back home to bring prosperity for our country. Courting the Israelis will adversely affect the more-than-million-strong Indian expatriate community in the Gulf. India should also remember Israel’s extreme cynicism in the 1980s when Israel was giving intensive training to the LTTE in guerrilla warfare while training the Sri Lankan army in anti-terrorism operations. Today, Israel is practicing a new kind of apartheid in occupied territories. Israeli state tramples daily on the academic freedom and cultural life of Palestinian people. Their Universities and colleges are bombed; text books are prohibited in entering Gaza, artistic events are closed down in Jerusalem; the students and teachers are not allowed to reach their universities. Today Israel is hell bent to follow the policies of oppression and expulsion of indigenous population. It is heartening to note that intellectuals and conscience keepers in India have decided to form an Indian Chapter of the International Movement to campaign for academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The list of these luminaries is long but to mention a few names : Upendra Baxi, Vina Mazumdar, Mohan Rao, Uma Chakravarthy, Gargi Sen, Jayati Ghosh, Rohan D’souza, Githa Hariharan, Mushirul Hasan, Saba Dewan, Zoya Hasan, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Praful Bedawi. This action is taken in the backdrop of Israel’s attack on aid flotilla from Turkey few weeks back and a new situation which is developing as a new aid flotilla is heading towards Gaza. A Libyan aid ship is staying on course for the besieged Gaza Strip on Sunday despite Israeli warning that it would be intercepted in the sea. “We are heading for Gaza. We will not change direction.” said Mr. Mashallah Zwei, a representative of Qadhafi Foundation, a Libyan charity. The siege of Gaza is a one-sided affair, a part of Israeli self defense strategy. Very limited attacks have been launched against Israel from there but the Israeli response has always been deadly. The useless rockets of Hamas have been used as a pretext by Israel to launch its attacks. They are the reason given for imposing the siege. However, the facts on the ground are different. It is brutal suppression and victimization of a besieged human race.
