The Socialist Party strongly condemns the recent attacks over the last six days on Palestine’s Gaza by Israeli forces killing more than 160 civilians including a large number of small children and women. The party terms the attacks just as barbaric, and a heinous crime against humanity. The excuses propagated by the Israeli authorities are not at all justifiable hence acceptable under the international laws that ensure a right to life for every person. Even before the recent attacks the Israeli forces have kidnapped, jailed, brutalized and killed hundreds of Palestinian youngsters.
Israel, despite calls by the United Nations Security Council, is not ready for a cease-fire. On the contrary, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with a pat from America, has stated that the operation will go on and might take a long time. The Israeli air force has dropped pamphlets in the area giving warning to the residents for evacuation. Scared people are forced to flee from their houses. Evidently the Israeli forces, with stepping up ongoing airstrikes, plan a massive ground offensive. As a result of this new offensive there will be more casualties and suffering.
Given India’s old relationship with Palestine the response of the present Indian government through the MEA spokesperson is not substantial, to say the least. The government through its Minister of External Affairs should have condemned the attacks in unequivocal terms and raised the issue on international fora pressing upon to stop the attacks immediately.
There was a time when the cause of Palestinians happened to be a major concern for India and Yasser Arafat, a symbol of Palestinian struggle, was a well known name in the country. The intelligentsia and civil society were also supportive to the Palestinian cause. But things started changing fast after imposition of US-Britain-directed neoliberal reforms in the beginning of the nineteenth century. The BJP-led NDA government of 1998-2004 transformed India’s foreign policy tiding its knots with the US-Israel nexus. The governments of neoliberal era support Israel and keep mum against the atrocities committed by her on the civilian population of Palestine in order to appease the US. ‘Always stand with the powerful’ has become motive of the neoliberal India.
The Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan have become a worst kind of battle ground in the hands of neoliberal and authoritarian/fundamentalist powers. They flourish on each other’s worms. This civil war like grave situation bears serious ramifications for India. But the Indian ruling class has no role to play in the region except toeing the line of the US. This subordinate role of the Indian governments has endangered country’s interests as an independent nation. This is the backdrop in which the present government has not taken a strong stand against Israel’s brutal attacks on the Palestinian people.
The Socialist Party opposes the barbaric attacks and extends complete solidarity with the people of Palestine who have been facing Zionist onslaught on their lives and motherland for more than half century. The party appeals to the peace loving citizens of India to raise their voice to stop the attacks immediately. The party further appeals to the world community that it is a high time to insist upon the key-players for a political solution of the prolonged national, ethnic and sectarian problems in this entire region. Lastly, the party would like to press upon the Hamas leadership to deter from violent retaliatory actions in order to save the lives of innocent Palestinians as well as Israelis and to mobilize public opinion in favour of the cause of Palestinians.
Dr. Prem Singh
General Secretary/Spokesperson
