Why strong Indo-Israel relation is needed
March 17, 2009 by Amitabh Tripathi
One week ago South Asia Forum organized a seminar on the issue of “challenges before India and Israel and areas of co-operationâ€. This was first public exposure for this think tank which came in existence last year with a vision to make India super power with larger role in South Asia and global politics. This think tank is manifestation of an ambition of youthful and energetic voice which wants development and security but in last few years this world has become so insecure to live and without security one can not think of development.
Now time has come to discuss on these matters frankly to insure security for our generation and next generation. When people talk about prevailing situation of insecurity everywhere in the world they talk about vague issues but could we say with an authority that this situation of insecurity is merely a result of unemployment, frustration and acts of some misguided youths. No, we can not say this and if we are saying this it means either we are trying to be politically correct or we are unable to read the situation. South Asia forum is an effort to break the taboo of political correctness and shed out pseudo liberalism. When we talk about pseudo liberalism it identify those elements in society who are aware of problem, its symptom and some times also support the ways to fight it out but when it comes public platform they start echoing the words of political correctness to build their image as liberal.
South Asia forum witnessed this fact last year on two occasions one after the attack on Mumbai and second after Gaza operation was launched by Israel against Hamas. On both of occasions political correctness and pseudo liberalism was seen everywhere. The whole world approached India to calm it down as well Israel was condemned for Gaza attack and issue of proportionality was also come in debate. In span of two months periods we witnessed two incidents which were totally different in nature but its root cause were the same. India was attacked by an ideology which doesn’t believe in values of democracy and freedom and Israel attacked Gaza to insure that this region could not be hijacked by followers of the same ideology which want to wipe out the only vibrant democracy in the Middle East.
These two developments and response to them by academia and establishment aroused a question before us who will defend the values of democracy and freedom if everyone likes to hide behind the veil of political correctness and pseudo liberalism. South Asia Forum took the initiative to talk on those issues which are at core of our heart but we hesitate to speak on them.
On 8th of March at constitution club when Challenges before India and Israel was discussed it was very much in our mind that we are going to shed out political correctness for the sake of our security and freedom. In this seminar every speaker spoke of challenges and former Law minister of Government of India Dr Subramaniyan Swamy called for a defense treaty between India and Israel to help each other in the case of any one of them was attacked by any country and treat each others enemy as their enemy. Dr Swamy elaborated how Pakistan has become a problem state in our border and in next two to three years it is going to fall in the hands of Taliban and Al queda at the same time those junior commissioned officers in Pakistan army who are highly influenced by Jihad and Islamic teachings are going to replace their seniors in next few years and after that these army officers will talibanise the state and all of them will prepare themselves for a battle against India and it is time for us as well to prepare ourselves for a final battle with Pakistan. In this preparation it will always be helpful for us to have a defense treaty with Israel.
With treaty we can assure Israel also that as long as India is with you 140 or 150 million Arab neighbors of yours even can not imagine wiping you out. Any time when Israel will be threatened by its hostile Arab neighbors we will come for your rescue not only morally but militarily also. Dr Swamy also highlighted those areas where India and Israel doing well and in near future they can do well also. Areas of defense technology, Agriculture technology and alternate energy are those areas where India and Israel becomes compliment to each other. Israel is working on the technology of Hydro carbon which could become an alternate source of energy in near future. Dr Swamy emphasized that India and Israel are two countries whose interests have no clash at all and this is the most fascinating aspect of this relationship which guarantees its durability. Dr Swamy also called for people to people contact with exploring the spiritual similarities between Hinduism and Judaism. He reminded the audience of some initiatives which has been taken from some Hindu spiritual saints and Rabbis to bring these two faiths closer. Dr Subramaniyan Swamy is one of the rare politicians in India who have vast knowledge about Israel and Middle Eastern politics.
After Indian independence our leadership adopted the policy of none aligned but tilted towards Soviet camp at the same time it tried hard to get the good wishes of Arab world to check the Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir. It is another story that how India was unable to get the endorsement of largest Islamic body OIC for its point of view on Kashmir issue and it was one of the reasons behind Indian decision to start the diplomatic relations with Israel in 1991. It is important to highlight the fact that Indian leadership always played with a perception that being a high Muslim populated country it has to consider the sentiments of those sections of people before taking any policy decision on Israel but it is partial truth because Indian leadership was always fascinated by Soviets and leftists more rather than Muslim sentiments. It always has in its mind that once we indulge in relationship with Israel we will be perceived as an ally of America as well. It was clearly visible when India starts its diplomatic relations with Israel just after Soviet collapsed. Legacy of this cold war era is still prevalent in India among academia and liberal leftist who condemn Israel only to portray them as liberals and leftists.
India and Israel are the natural allies and India has to learn several things from Israel and one of the most important things of them is its dynamism and centrality of its nationalism. Israel also has fractured polity with fractured mandate every time but its goal and centrality of nationalism never defined by political school of thought. India has to learn a lot from them on this front.
In the seminar an associate editor of an English daily Pioneer Kanchan Gupta categorically stated that world has crossed to that stage when relations between two nations were defined in civilization terms or cultural terms now world has entered into a era where strategic relations are more pragmatic but in the relation of India and Israel it is only partially true. India and Israel are not only strategic friends but they are more than that. It is time to educate people in India about the fascination of people of Israel to India and encourage the people in India to know more about the culture of Israel and Judaism. India and Israel has a grave responsibility on their shoulders to bail out this world from the weather of hatred, intolerance, insecurity to security, development, human rights and freedom because these are the two nations and cultures on the earth who have never lost continuity from their past tradition for thousands years and sacrificed everything to preserve their identity and culture.
Last 5 posts by Amitabh Tripathi
- Has India really moved on? – October 2nd, 2010
- Israel’s Muslims reach out: strategy, desperation or appeasement? – September 27th, 2010
- Time to policy shift not to bleed and weep – September 26th, 2010
- Buying the peace on higher cost – October 4th, 2009
- The Goldstone Report – A Study in Bias – September 17th, 2009