Supporting the UN Palestinian bid is actually in Israeli interests. This is pretty much the final days of the two state solution and if this fails, then what we are looking at is a one state solution with one man one vote for all. This is NOT in Israeli interests.
What I find amusing is that some Indians have such a low estimation of their own countries armed forces. That they would be smashed and destroyed if for some reason Israel blocks its defense supplies. As if our air force and army are just not capable of defending our territory.
I am all for a pragmatic relationship with Israel particularly in defense. Their help certainly was crucial in quickly turning the tide of the Kargil war which really should have not happened the first place if the NDA govt. had been giving importance to national security issues but lets look at the whole picture.
*Out biggest defence suppliers are Russia and increasingly the US. If the fighter deal comes through it would be the EU. at third spot.
*We have about Indo-Arab trade approaching $240Billion in trade, not to mention the $35Billion in remittances alone from the GCC arab states. In terms of trade they for the largest trading block ahead of China, EU, or N. America. Not to mention that 80% of our energy needs also come from here.
*With the Arab Spring, and India being invited by Egypt, Tunisia and other countries to showcase its democratic process, this would be a perfect opportunity to expand India's influence in the region vis a vis China.
And finally in Kargil, every Arab and OIC member actually sided with INDIA. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey all strictly told Nawaz to withdraw to the LoC. It was only because of this that he had to run to the US to get the withdrawal in place. Infact, diplomatically it was a failure of sorts for Pakistan.
Feature
Pakistan's Isolation
Owing to its misadventure, Pakistan has also lost its clout with the Islamic world. Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt are not happy with Islamabad's backing of Islamist militant organisations which have turned against them and are involved in terrorist activities. Algeria and Yemen also are facing serious problems in view of the growth of militant Islamic organisations that disturb peace. The militants operating in these countries are being trained in Afghanistan by the outfits run by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence. Iran too is unhappy over Pakistan's backing of Bin Laden, whose armies are persecuting the Shias in Afghanistan.
None of these countries is desirous of playing the role of an intermediary. India has already rejected any third-party mediation. They are conselling Pakistan against any recourse to war to settle scores with India. They also would not risk taking a position contrary to the firm and principled stand of the United States and other Western nations. The Central Asian Republics, which too are under pressure from the Islamic fundamentalists trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan, are supportive of India's position that Indo-Pak problems are to be resolved peacefully and bilaterally under the Simla Agreement.
Even though the US had, at one time, thought of using Pakistan to spread its influence in the Central Asian Republics, it has had second thoughts recently. Washington does not want Bin Laden and his fundamentalist forces to spread their influence beyond Afghanistan into Central Asia or India in Kashmir. It has evidence of Osama's direct involvement in the infiltration in Kargil and recruitment of thousands of mercenaries for action in Jammu and Kashmir.
Even the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has admitted that Pakistan stood isolated internationally. The West is particularly worried about the power of radical Muslim outfits operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan and now in Kargil. Indian diplomacy has benefited from Pakistan's misadventure. Islamabad has driven itself into a corner and despatching of envoys to various countries by Mr. Nawaz Sharif will not end Pakistan's isolation. The only way in which it can extricate itself from the situation is by withdrawing the mercenaries and troops and ending the aggression against India.
Currently almost every country in the world including the Arab countries support India's position of resolving Kashmir bilaterally, rather than Pakistan's view of resolving in multilaterally. In fact the EU and US have done much more to internationalize Kashmir.
Again, we should have some spine to think clearly about this issue. India has ALREADY recognized Palestine back in 1988. The NDA govt. in 2003 reiterated the same position. GoI is NOT taking a new position. It is a reiteration of the existing reality that Palestine is recognized along with 3/4 of the world including China, Russia e.t.c. Theny why are some people so afraid of Israeli wrath on holding a position
that we ALREADY have since 1988.
If the UN resolution was say for boycotting Israel or for advocating that Israel should not exist e.t.c, then I India should not just abstain but vote against because again that would go against the position India has already taken. But the UN statehood bid is what in principle the US presidents Bush and Obama had advocated and even Bibi Netanyahu and mentioned earlier. Hence there is no reason why India should go with a for vote along with China, Russia and 3/4 of the world.
And for those sighting HAMAS, it actually opposes the UN statehood bid which just goes to show that the US and Israel are ironically on the same side on this issue. Its another story that HAMAS has little support and if elections were held today, they would be pretty much wiped out.
India's sympathy for Israel is surely due to its relationship with Pakistan. Well Pakistan was good for something
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