India established its diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, but recently these ties have accelerated as India has a soft corner of Israel.
In this connection, in the last week of July this year, Israel hosted a delegation of Indian visiting editors and correspondents. The delegation visited the famous security fence, Jerusalem and Sderot. The members of the group were taken on helicopters along the Israeli border with Gaza and Lebanon.
In this respect, Tel Aviv also arranged a briefing regarding recent developments such as increase in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, which was exaggerated the Israeli requirement to secure its coastline in the form of continued sea blockade, economic progress of the West Bank and Israeli efforts for peace. A similar type of trip was also arranged for all the foreign journalists based in Israel.
During the second week of July 2010, Tel Aviv had also received a delegation of the Indian parliamentarians for the same purpose after the incident of Israeli attack on the aid flotilla. Notably, that delegation consisted of the members from all the major Indian political parties like Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janta Party, Biju Janta Dal, Shiromani Akali Dal and Rashtriya Lok Dal.
Strengthening of Indo-Israeli ties could also be judged from the fact that when this delegation of Indian parliamentarians met Israeli president, in his speech, he admitted the Indian culture and political wisdom, while comparing the Indian leader Mahatama Gandhi with one of the earlier Prophet of the Bani-Israel.
It is of particular attention that in the recent past, Israel received worldwide condemnation in wake of protests due to its brutal attack on the naval aid flotilla which was carrying basic necessities of life for the besieged people of Gaza. In this regard, Tel Aviv felt politically isolated. But India is one of the countries which did not openly condemn Israeli action. However, this new move to invite the media and parliamentarian delegations, starting with New Delhi is an effort of Israel to improve its image in the world. In this context, having soft corner for Israel, India hastened to send its two delegations.
It is notable that both India and Israel which had openly jumped on Bush’s anti-terrorism enterprise in the aftermath of September 11 catastrophe, are covertly supported American agenda of neo-conservatives by acting upon a secret diplomacy, targeting Pakistan, China and Iran in particular and some other countries of the region like Syria and Lebanon in general.
In this context, proper media coverage was not given to the Indo-Israeli secret diplomacy, which could be assessed from the interview of Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer published in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008. Regarding India’s defence arrangements with Israel, Sofer had surprisingly disclosed “We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret. On the other hand, what is secret is the defence relationship”. And “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.”
Indo-Israeli nexus remained under wraps till 2003, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited India to officially reveal it. In this respect, Indian ‘The Tribune’ wrote on September 10, 2003, “India and Israel took giant leaps forward in bolstering the existing strategic ties and forging new ones” and Tel Aviv has “agreed to share its expertise with India in various fields like anti-fidayeen operations, surveillance satellites, intelligence sharing and space exploration.” From anti-missile systems to hi-tech radars, from sky drones to night-vision equipment, Indo-Israeli defense cooperation has known no bounds in recent times.
Recent defence purchases by New Delhi from Tel Aviv include fast attack naval craft, electronic warfare system and unmanned aerial vehicles. Besides, Indian secret deal entails submarine launched cruise missiles, micro-satellite systems, laser guided systems etc.
The matter is not confined to purchasing of military equipments only, Indo-Israeli overt and covert links are part of a dangerous strategic game in Asia. In this connection, the then Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu had already made it clear in July 1997 saying, “Our ties with India don’t have any limitations�as long as India and Israel are friendly, it is a strategic gain”.
There are other reasons behind Indo-Israeli secret nexus. Fast growing economic power of China coupled with her rising strategic relationship with the Third World has been misperceived by the Americans and Indians. Owing to this jealousy, tactical support of Washington to New Delhi, indirect military aid through Israel, the US-India nuclear deal�all are part of American desire to make India a major power to counterbalance China in Asia as both of them see Beijing a “future strategic competitor”.
On the other side, a ‘nuclearized’ Pakistan, depending upon minimum deterrence, having close ties with Beijing is another major target of the Indo-Israeli secret diplomacy. As regards Islamabad, India, Afghanistan and Israel are in collusion as part of a plot to ‘destabilize’ Pakistan for their common strategic interests.
The fact of the matter is that by availing the ongoing international phenomena of terrorism, Jewish-Hindu lobbies are collectively working in America and other European countries to exploit the double standards of the west in relation to terrorism and human rights vis-�-vis Pakistan and China. Israel and India are equating the ‘war of independence’ in Kashmir and Palestine with terrorism. If India considers Pakistan as its enemy number one, Israel takes Iran in the same sense�especially due to its nuclear programme which is also negated by the US. Tel Aviv is also against Pakistan as it is the only nuclear Islamic country. However, these similarities of interest have brought the two countries to follow a common secret diplomacy with the tactical support of Washington, targeting particularly Pakistan and China including other states like Nepal, North Korea, Bangladesh, Iran, Syria etc.
The cause of concern to Pakistan and the Muslim world, however, has little to do with India-Israel trade relations. It concerns the ‘secret’ defence ties referred to by Mr. Sofer. While already analyzing these in the December 6, 2004 edition of The Middle Eastern Review of International Affairs (Meria), Harsh V. Pant wrote, “A flourishing Indo-Israeli relationship has the potential to make a significant impact on global politics by altering the balance of power, not only in South Asia and the Middle East, but also in the larger Asian region.”
Another regrettable point is that irresponsible attitude of some Indian, Israeli and Western politicians has introduced dangerous socio-religious dimension in their societies by equating the “war on terror” with “war on Islam” and acts of Al Qaeda with all the Muslims. Their media have also been contributing to heighten the currents of world politics on cultural and religious lines with the negative projection of Islam. In this connection, reprinting of the caricatures about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and release of a Dutch film against the Holy Quran in the recent past might be noted as an example.
It is because of these developments that a greater resentment is being found among the Muslims who think that the US in connivance with the Indo-Israeli lobbies is sponsoring state terrorism, directly or indirectly from Kashmir to Palestine.
Nevertheless, by manipulating the present phenomena of world terrorism and anti-Muslim approach of the west, both India and Israel have been availing this golden opportunity to achieve their covert goals by convincing the US-led European states that a ‘nuclearized’ Pakistan is sponsoring cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan and Kashmir. And Iran and Syria are doing the same act in Iraq and Lebanon. In this regard, equation of ‘war of liberation’ in Kashmir and Palestine with terrorism has become the main target of New Delhi and Tel Aviv which intend to divert the attention of the west from their own atrocities, being perpetrated in the occupied territories.
Most alarming point in this respect is that Indo-Israeli nexus for the sake of delaying the solution of Kashmir and Palestine under the pretext of so-called Islamic terrorism is not only sabotaging world peace, but is also taking the world to the brink of clash of civilizations.
Nonetheless, Indian silence or sluggish policy over Israeli atrocities in Gazas, Palestinians, intervention in Lebanon, a deadly attack on the aid flotilla and Tel Aviv’s violations of a number of UN resolutions show that without any doubt, India has a soft corner for Israel owing to its secret strategic interests.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations. Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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