The recent series of violence on the people of Palestine by the Israeli Defence Forces(IDF) has covered all newspapers globally and have invoked a barrage of political reactions among Indians.
The Indian State’s stance on the issue has been clarified at an international forum as the Indian Ambassador to the UN Security Council reiterated India’s support to the people of Palestine.
The same, however, cannot be said about the Indian state at its homefront where the members of the ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continue to back Israel and are quite vocal about it on public platforms. Indian citizens who extend support to Palestine are harassed and arrested by the Police.
We are with you.
Stay strong, Israel. https://t.co/is3HCd00N1— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 12, 2021
Indian State’s pretense of valuing human rights has not seen the daylight in its own country it deals only in majority appeasement and propaganda which often translates into violence against the marginalized caste and religious communities particularly, Dalits and Muslims.
In this backdrop of hate propaganda against muslims at home and outside, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of opposition in Bihar has extended his solidarity to Palestinians who have been braving escalated violence by the Israeli military forces.
On May 20, Yadav in his tweet, condemned the violence unleased on the Palestinians including children by Israeli forces. He reminded people of the words of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi who supported the Palestinian cause. Gandhi said that the people of Palestine should have the right to self-determination.
Tejashwi Yadav reiterated that violence cannot be the answer. The United Nations must give out the message in the favor of political negotiations, he added.
राजद फिलिस्तीनी नागरिकों और मासूम बच्चों पर इजराइल द्वारा अकारण हमले की कड़ी निंदा करता है।राष्ट्रपिता गाँधी की सोच के अनुरूप फिलिस्तीन की स्वतंत्र पहचान व उनके नागरिको के अधिकार सुनिश्चित होने चाहिए।हिंसा नहीं वार्ता ही निदान है।संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ को यह स्पष्ट संदेश देना चाहिए।
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) May 20, 2021
Even though a section of Indian netizens (read: right-wing trolls) are trending hashtags such as #ISupportIsrael, rejoicing at the deaths of Palestinians— another explicit display of the rampant animosity towards Muslims among Hindu nationalists, a huge section among the Indians have also unflinchingly supported the people of Palestinians saving the country (to some extent) from becoming an echo-chamber of hateful opinions.
Israeli violence on the natives of Palestine has a history of continuation over several decades as the latter continue to struggle and demand to be recognized as independent state and free from Israeli occupation. Gaza has also remained under the Israeli blockade that stringently regulates the passage of goods and people in the strip.
Palestinian Nakba is Ongoing: From Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza
The recent series of attacks on the Palestinians started on 7th may 2020 when Israeli forces evicted Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and attacked the second holiest mosque in the world, Al Aqsa.
Rockets were fired by Hamas from the Gaza Strip to which Israel has carried out continuous airstrikes to the densely populated Gaza city for 11 days. Israeli bombing resulted in destruction of numerous residential and prominent buildings including the al-Jalaa tower which housed international media and hospitals. It killed more than 200 people including several children and injuring more than 1900 people. Experts have warned that tens of millions of dollars and several years’ time will be required for the reconstruction work to be done in Gaza.
All of this happened in the middle of a pandemic that has killed millions in the world.
The Israeli military has notified that 1 soldier and 12 Israeli civilians have been killed as a result of the retaliatory actions by Hamas during these days.
On Friday, however, it was declared that Israel and Hamas, a militant group based in Gaza have agreed to a ceasefire symbolizing an end to the ongoing violence on Palestinians.
