Why%20does%20the%20Indian%20right-wing%20shower%20love%20on%20the%20anti-Palestinian%20Israel%20approach%3F%20%20

“At least 35 people have been killed, including 28 Palestinians and more than 220 people are wounded as the Israel-Palestine conflict continued for the second day on Tuesday, reports AFP. More than 200 rockets have been fired by the Islamic militant group Hamas towards Israel as the Jewish state responded with 130 strikes carried out by fighter jets and attack helicopters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of emergency in Lod. The conflict, one of the biggest between the two states in recent years, has attracted international attention, including India’s. u00a0. Also read: On video call with husband, Kerala woman struck by rocket in Israel, dies. #IndiaStandsWithIsrael – supported by the various Right-wingers – has been trending on Twitter since late Tuesday. u00a0. The Indian right-wing has been vouching for Israel’s fight against ‘terrorism. It is not the first time in recent years that India’s right leadership has shown soft support against the Palestinians. In July 2017, Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. His Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed him by saying, “Prime Minister Modi, we have been waiting for you for a long time, almost 70 years u2026 We view you as a kindred spirit.u201d The Likud leader also called Modi as his “friend Bibi” on Twitter. u00a0. Only six months later, in January 2018, Netanyahu visited India. Modi broke protocol to personally receive him at the airport. Such has been their camaraderie. u00a0. Also read: Israel-Palestine violence: US says u2018Israel does have right to defend itselfu2019. However, the binding force between the Indian right-wing and Israel is their anti-Muslim affect. It has not been very difficult to believe that the ones who fight for a Hindu state at New Delhi are proud to see Tel Aviv fend off the Arab Muslims in the Gulf. Generations of Hindu nationals, including Veer Savarkar, have been fans of Israel’s Zionism. u00a0. After the right’s win in 2018, Israel went on to be called as u201cthe nation-state of the Jewish people, which respects the rights of all its citizensu201d from its original identity of a “Jewish and Democratic state.” u00a0. As per the Israel government, New Delhi and Tel Aviv engaged in the trade of US$ 5.24 billion (excluding defence) in the calendar year 2019 with the balance of trade being in Indiau2019s favour by more than US$ 1.9 billion. Israel has been India’s second-largest defence equipment provider after Russia. u00a0. Also see: Photos | Air strikes, rocket barrages and more from the Israel-Hamas violence. But the India-Israel relations have strongly grown only in the last decade. u00a0. Commenting on the Palestine situation, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that u201cPalestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French.u201d India was amongst the 13 countries – three non-Muslim countries – to vote against the UN partition plan for Palestine. It was only in 1950 that India recognized the State of Israel. With intentions to improve its image in the Middle East, New Delhi was overt about its objections against Israel and the association with the Arabs via NAM. u00a0. It was only in 1992 that India established diplomatic relations with Israel. Since then, barring the 2003 vote in the UN General Assembly, India has not taken a firm stand against the Jewish nation. u00a0. Also read: From stone pelting to stun grenades: Timeline of Gaza and Jerusalem conflict. The Indian right-wing seemingly sees Israel’s Zionism as a so far successful prototype of its anti-Muslim strategy. The Palestinians – militants and civilians – have been covered under the umbrella term – ‘terrorists’ and in doing so thousands of lives have been lost in the region over so many decades. In 2006, 2014 and now in 2021, pictures only stand witness to the loss the region has seen. But, when I see the Indian right’s point of view, the abandonment of the Palestinians matters more than the victory of Israel. #Israel #Palestine #Hamas #BenjaminNentanyahu #India #NarendraModiu00a0.”