Editorial: Healing touch required

Given its rising global profile, India has the right strategic heft to play a historic role in defusing the Israel-Palestine crisis

The death of hundreds of people in an explosion at a crowded hospital in Gaza may well become an inflection point in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The gruesome tragedy, which triggered an information war with Hamas and Israeli Defence Force pointing fingers at each other, may pull other players of the region into the deadly conflict. The back-to-back visits by the United States President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have brought global focus on the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza which is being pounded by Israeli military strikes. With good equations with all the nations in the region and a finely balanced diplomatic stance, India is in a good position to play a positive role and mediate peace in the Middle East. India has steadfastly supported the cause of an ‘independent, sovereign, and viable State of Palestine’ living within secure and recognised borders. At the same time, New Delhi has, over the past few decades, expanded its ties with Israel covering a wide range of areas including those having strategic significance. Narendra Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel in 2017. Also, India has an unshakeable traditional bond with Iran, a sworn enemy of Israel and a supporter of Hamas. Recently, India took the initiative to form India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) which includes Iran. Palestine Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Alhaija has rightly summed up the situation when he said that India is a friend of both Israel and Palestine and is well positioned to resolve the crisis in Gaza.

Israeli ambassador to India Naor Gilon too has said his country would welcome any sort of help from India for the release of over 200 people held hostage by Hamas. In fact, India can get in touch with the US, Europe and countries in West Asia to build pressure on both the warring parties to work towards immediate ceasefire and subsequently bring them to the negotiating table for a peaceful settlement. Given its rising global profile and its traditional clout with the Muslim world, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, India has the right strategic heft to play a historic role in defusing the crisis. The stability in the middle east is important to India because, in addition to its relations with Arab nations, large numbers of the Indian diaspora work in the region. As in the Russia-Ukraine war, the United Nations seems utterly helpless to reduce hostilities or prevent Israel and Hamas from violating international law. With thousands of lives lost since the October 7 terror strike by Hamas, the clamour for an immediate ceasefire is growing. The bloodbath at the Al-Ahli hospital is a wake-up call for the international community, which must go all out to break the vicious cycle of civilian deaths in Gaza, often referred to as open prison.

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