BJP Isolated And Lost On Palestine, Speaks In Different Voices In Delhi, Srinagar And Brazil

New DelhI: India woke up to the relentless attack on Palestinians in Gaza by Israel with the Opposition demanding a discussion on the issue, activists staging a series of demonstrations outside the Israeli mission here, even as the BJP spoke not in one or two but a number of different voices finding itself isolated in its resistance to a discussion on the violence in Parliament.

Even the western world reeled in shock at the images flashed by a New York Times reporter of four young Palestinian children playing on the beach being killed, virtually in front of his eyes, by Israeli missiles but the NDA government insisted that there could be no debate on the issue at all in Parliament as the rules do not allow “discourteous references” towards “friendly nations.”

A position in sharp contradiction to that take by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he signed the BRICS declaration at about the same time in Brasilia where he agreed with Russia, China and of course Brazil to “oppose the continuous construction and expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli Government, which violates international law, gravely undermines peace efforts and threatens the viability of the two-State solution.” The statement also strongly supported the unity Palestinian government that Israel has denounced and condemned.

So while the Prime Minister was the ‘statesman’ in Brasilia, at home the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day when the face off between the government and the opposition could not be resolved. The government was determined not to allow a discussion that attacked Israel, with Rajya Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President Hamid Ansari, however, having to step in according to the rules of the House and give a green signal for the discussion. Interestingly, the discussion was scheduled for Wednesday but was blocked by the government amidst agitated Opposition protest.

The government finally realised that, under the rules, it could not block discussion in Parliament and had to agree on Thursday, insisting that the discussion should be held another day. The opposition parties pointed to the grave situation in Gaza, maintaining that there was no other day, and the debate would have to be held immediately. The House was adjourned several times, and then for the day at 3pm. As CPI MP D.Raja pointed out, “this government has flouted all rules, and really does not know what it is doing.” In yet another turn around from “no debate”, to “debate another day,” the government said it would allow a discussion on Gaza on Monday.

The Opposition has not accepted this and will continue to demand that the discussion on Gaza be held immediately, as of now Friday. In all likelihood the House will again be adjourned.

However, in Jammu and Kashmir where the BJP has an eye fixed firmly on opening its account in the Valley, its new unit held a protest demonstration against the ongoing attacks by Israel on Gaza. The protest was led by the state BJP vice president GM Mir. The protesters marched through Srinagar raising pro-Palestine slogans with senior state BJP leaders addressing them. They urged the central government to condemn the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel.

In Brazil PM Modi seemed to find nothing wrong in a strong joint statement that not only condemned the Israeli settlements but also welcomed the Palestinian unity government that has created deep consternation in Tel Aviv. Although the statement fell short of condemning the ongoing violence by Israel in Gaza in what was a glaring omission by the BRICS countries, it recognised the Palestinian demand for a economically viable and independent state, “within mutually agreed and internationally recognised borders based on 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.” It went on to condemn the continuous construction of settlements in the words quoted above, using a terminology that Israel and its supporters across the world have always objected to namely “occupied” Palestinian territories. BRICS also took the position, as did its member India, that these settlements were violative of international law and undermined peace efforts.

BRICS also welcomed the UN General Assembly’s decision to “proclaim 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, welcome the efforts of UN Relief and Works Agency in providing assistance and protection for Palestinian refugees and encourage the international community to continue to support the activities of the agency.” Israel has been very hostile to the UN and is not a member of the international body.

The BRICS joint statement that PM Modi is party to will certainly antagonise Israel, more so as Lebanon has now filed a complaint at the UN against Israel’s attack on the Palestinians in Gaza. The Palestinian UN representative has described every missile from Israel on Gaza as a crime against humanity. Pressure is slowly building up in and on the United Nations to move against Israel and stop its attack on innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

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