On India’s stand on the Israel-Palestine issue – New Delhi’s flip-flop on Israel-Palestine is costly for India

Source: This post on India’s stand on the Israel-Palestine issue has been created based on the article “New Delhi’s flip-flop on Israel-Palestine is costly for India” published in “Indian Express” on 1st December 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 International Relations – Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests.

News: This article discusses the issues with India’s stand on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict and suggests a suitable foreign policy path for the same.

A detailed article on the Israel-Palestine Conflict can be read here.

A brief timeline of the conflict:

What are the issues with India’s current stand?

A detailed article on India’s policy on the Israel-Palestine issue can be read here.

According to the author, following are the issues:

1. Negative Perception in the Global South: There is an increased perception that India is drifting from its historical neutrality on the Palestinian issue. It is against the India’s aspiration to become a leader of global south.
2. Inconsistent and Paradoxical Stand: India initially showed support for Israel after Hamas attacks but later reaffirmed commitment to a two-state solution. It abstained from a UN resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza but later voted for a resolution condemning Israel’s settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
   These positions are conflicting and inconsistent.
3. Detrimental to India’s interests in West Asia: India’s geopolitical interests in West Asia (such as increasing trade and physical interconnectivity (as part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC))) are heavily dependent on its sound relations with the Gulf Arab states.
   Further dilution of India’s historic and principled stand would be detrimental to it’s long-term aspirations and strategic interests in this region.

What should India do?

According to the author, India should follow these steps:

Re-establish its principled approach: India should highlight the merits of nonviolent struggle for the Palestinians, as well as the use of strategic patience and democratic co-option by Israel.

Consistency foreign policy: To emerge as a counsel and leader of the Global South, India’s foreign policy will need to be consistent.

Increase in Humanitarian Aid to Palestine: India should bolster its small humanitarian aid ($35 million over the past two decades) for the Palestinian people. India should also continue to send medical and disaster relief aid to Gaza.

Push for Dialogue: India could push Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume direct negotiations for establishing a sovereign state of Palestine, which lives in peace with the state of Israel.

Pursue Israel for an amicable solution: Israel might be pushed to remove settlements in the West Bank and reduce the use of excessive force.

This will ensure that the vision of a well-integrated India-Arab-Israel can still materialise in West Asia.

Question for practice:

‘India needs to walk the diplomatic tight-rope carefully when it comes to defending its geopolitical interests in the Middle East’. Discuss with reference to India’s stance on the recent Israel-Palestine conflict.