by Tayyaba Khan 10 November 2023
How unfortunate the situation is in Palestine! Once-loved ground turns into a sad and burning field. This is the dire situation that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is currently facing. A tragic new episode in this continuous tragedy is the Israeli strike on Gaza City’s Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 Palestinians. The Gaza War has to cease immediately.
Desperate to break free from a ten-year embargo, Hamas launched an attack on Israeli military outposts throughout the Gaza Strip. This frantic action resulted in terrible losses for both sides, worsening the pain of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. It becomes clear that a peaceful conclusion is the only option as the entire world watches in horror.
India is one of the leading proponents of Palestinian independence. India, with a moral compass shaped by its own experience of British colonization, understood Palestine’s struggle for independence. India showed its continuous support for the Palestinian cause in 1988 by being one of the first non-Arab nations to recognize Palestinian independence.
On the international scene, India has, nevertheless, tread carefully under the direction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Although there were cordial ties between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he also reached out to the Palestinians. However, as the game of cricket reminds us, even the most skilled jugglers occasionally drop a ball, and it seems that India erred in the instance of the most recent hospital attack in Gaza.
The Israeli attack on a hospital was the most horrifying event in this recent violent outburst. As women and children among the innocent souls lost in an act that goes against human decency, the entire globe watched in horror. Where, one would wonder, is a clearer statement denouncing the senseless murders of helpless victims in hospitals? Isn’t it time for the world community to condemn these kinds of crimes?
Given its longstanding backing for the Palestinian cause, India seemed to have stumbled when it came to vehemently denouncing the Israeli attack on the hospital. For those who anticipated India to be a steadfast defender of justice and humanity, this silence is disturbing and disappointing.
Not only Muslims but all individuals who uphold the values of justice and compassion are grieved by the suffering of the Palestinian people today. In particular, the Arab world is frightened by this issue, and any signs that India is backing Israel might strain diplomatic relations. India’s position on the matter is further complicated by others who contend that the BJP’s anti-Muslim policies and their apparent support for Israeli strikes are part of a calculated campaign to demonize Muslims.
Forced to choose between Israel and the Arab world due to persistent international pressure and the possibility of economic benefits from robust ties with Israel, India finds itself in a tough situation. It’s crucial to strike the correct balance in these international ties, but doing so shouldn’t mean remaining silent in the face of humanitarian catastrophes like the most recent hospital attack in Gaza.
The terrible incident in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the Israeli attack on Gaza’s Al-Ahli Arab Hospital. It serves as a reminder that the agony endured by defenseless civilians cannot be disregarded or forgotten. India needs to strike a balance in its foreign policy without sacrificing its moral commitment to uphold justice and humanity, given its past support for Palestinian independence. The world community needs to be heavily involved in finding a peaceful solution to this protracted problem, and the Gaza War needs to end.