Why Israel-Palestine Is Not Jewish-Muslim Issue For At Least India

In early October 2023, Hamas fighters launched missiles into Israel and assaulted southern Israeli cities and villages across the Gaza Strip's border, killing and wounding hundreds of troops and civilians and kidnapping others.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict began at the turn of the century. The Partition Plan of the region, agreed by the United Nations in 1947, attempted to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states when conflict started.

On Israel-Palestine which is one of many foreign policy issues, the Indian population have been divided historically. Indian Muslims have been supportive of the Palestinian cause which is totally understandable in line with religious belief but why Indian Hindus are supporting Jewish-dominated Israel? Just because they are fighting against Muslims? This may be a reason for some Hindus but broadly, having a soft corner for Israel is a part of our ‘realist’ foreign policy.

As the Indian economy gets bigger in size, New Delhi feels its expanding responsibility to speak up on global issues but national interests always limit its morality. National interest involves making real choices in the real world, which rarely affords the luxury of ideal conditions. However, India still advocates the two-nation theory but some believe that New Delhi is departing from its long-standing position of keeping balance in relationship with Israel and Palestine. India sees it as a legitimate move from the view of its own interest.

This shift in Indian policy shows that Palestine doesn't have anything to offer to the world or India. On the other hand, India can't ignore Israel because of their support on the Kashmir issue which has been one of the strongest voices from West Asia for years and obviously, import of weapons. 

Having no diplomatic relations between Israel and Pakistan pushes India further to consolidate its relationship with Tel Aviv.

Between 1997 and 2000, India received 15 per cent of all Israeli weaponry exports. By the mid-2000s, this had risen to 27 per cent, as India expanded its acquisitions to include surveillance technology, drones and surface-to-air missiles. Between 2000 and 2010, India spent approximately USD 10 billion on Israeli weaponry.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, India has received around 42.1 per cent of all Israeli weaponry exports. Between 2015 and 2019, Israeli weapons deliveries to India soared by 175 per cent, according to Sipri.

One more reason that it is not a Hindu-Muslim and Jewish-Muslim issue is India's relationship with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt. All these relationships have been improved under this ‘Hindu nationalist government.’ Again, India can’t ignore Sunni Muslim-dominated UAE because of inbound investment, Shia Muslim-dominated Iran for energy supply and Jewish state Israel for defence import.

Therefore, it will be ridiculous if you define India's stand on ongoing conflict based on religion. Putting aside Socratic principles of morality and justice, Sophists believed that morality and justice are bound by time and space.

Indeed, the rule of morality is not precisely the same between nations and individuals. The duty of making its own welfare from its actions is much stronger upon the nation than any individual.