The Congress party on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his address to the Israeli Parliament, calling it an ‘unabashed defence’ of his host, Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel.
The opposition party also recalled India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and his July 1947 reply to the German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein regarding the creation of Israel.
Modi arrived in Israel on 25 February for a two-day visit aimed at deepening ties with a key trade and defence partner, a trip that has drawn criticism at home from the opposition camp.
On his first day, Modi received a rousing welcome from Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday as he promised “friendship, respect and partnership” with Israel at a time when its world standing has suffered because of the war in Gaza.
Addressing the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, Modi described the Gaza Peace Initiative as a path towards “just and durable peace” in the region. He also delivered a message of solidarity with Israel, asserting that “terrorism anywhere threatens peace everywhere”.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, denounced the speech on Thursday.
“In his address to the Knesset yesterday – which was an unabashed defence of his host – Prime Minister Modi drew attention to the fact that India recognised the new state of Israel on the day he was born,” he said.
Ramesh cited Nehru’s views on the creation of Israel in his letter to Einstein. “Here is Nehru’s reply to Einstein a month later. On November 5, 1949, the two had met at Einstein’s home in Princeton. In November 1952, Einstein was offered the Presidency of Israel, which he declined,” Ramesh recalled.
“And a short while before he passed away in April 1955, Einstein and Nehru had exchanged letters on the issue of nuclear explosions and weapons,” he pointed out.
What did Nehru tell Einstein?
In his reply to Einstein on 11 July 1947, Nehru wrote, Ramesh posted, “I confess that while I have a very great deal of sympathy for the Jews, I feel sympathy for the Arabs also in their predicament. In any event, the whole issue has become one of high emotion and deep passion on both sides.”
In the letter shared by Ramesh along with a post on X, Nehru replies to Einstein, “Unless men are big enough on either side, which is just and generally agreeable to the parties concerned, I see no effective solution for the present.”
“I have paid a good deal of attention to this problem of Palestine and have read books and pamphlets on the subject issued on either side; yet I cannot say that I know all about it, or that I am competent to pass a final opinion as to what should be done. I know that the Jews have done a wonderful piece of work in Palestine and have raised the standards of the people there, but one question troubles me. After all these remarkable achievements, why have they failed to gain the goodwill of the Arabs?
“Why do they want to compel the Arabs to submit against their will to certain demands? The way of approach has been one which does not lead to a settlement, but rather to the continuation of the conflict. I have no doubt that the fault is not confined to one party but that all have erred.”
The chief difficulty has been the continuation of British rule in Palestine, Nehru said.
What’s on the agenda today?
On the second day, PM Modi and Netanyahu will hold bilateral talks and PM Modi will visit the Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem. PM Modi will also take part in delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, followed by the exchange of MoUs and press statements by the two leaders.
In his address to the Knesset yesterday – which was an unabashed defence of his host – Prime Minister Modi drew attention to the fact that India recognised the new state of Israel on the day he was born.
PM Modi will also interact with the members of the Indian diaspora and visit an exhibition of technologies and innovations in Israel.
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