Union Govt’s stance on Israel-Palestine conflict is highly disappointing, says K C Venugopal

PTI, Oct 19, 2023, 12:14 PM IST

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has strongly criticised the Union Government’s stand on the Israel-Palestine war, terming it as ”highly disappointing”.

He said India’s approach on the conflict used to be different from the very beginning. India used to extend support to the Palestinian cause and advocate for their rights, the Congress leader said in a Facebook post in Malayalam.

However, when it comes to any aggression or counter-aggression, India used to strongly condemn it, he said.

”Unfortunately, the current Indian stance is not sufficient to put an end to the war,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He urged the Union Government to express its views on the matter with dignity and respect, just as in the past.

The senior Congress leader condemned the loss of lives of common people in the war and the attack on a hospital in Gaza that killed over 500 Palestinians.

”When women and children, who are innocent and helpless, are caught in the crossfire, how can India stand by without a strong stance against it? ”The Indian government’s stance on the Israel-Palestine issue is highly disappointing,” the Congress leader said.

He said that regardless of whether it is Israel or Palestine, both countries are bound by international humanitarian laws.

Venugopal said the atrocities committed by Hamas against women, children and vulnerable civilians in Israel cannot be justified under any circumstances. But it is also essential to scrutinise the historical background that led them to such circumstances, he added.

The Congress MP said it is surprising that some countries are supporting the ”brutal attack that Israel is unleashing to completely wipe out Gaza” and urged India not to stand behind it. Venugopal said the horrific consequences of this war demand immediate attention from the international community, and India must lead efforts to bring peace and provide relief to the affected. ”This is the mature and dignified stance that the world expects from India”, he added. The Congress leader’s statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock over the tragic loss of lives in an attack on a hospital in Gaza.

The Prime Minister had said civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict were a matter of serious concern and those involved should be held responsible. According to media reports, the Hamas group said a massive explosion at the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza killed hundreds of people Tuesday. Hamas attributed the blast to an Israeli air strike, but the Israeli military said it was not involved and the explosion was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket.

Hostilities between Israel and Hamas began after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea on October 7.

Since the start of hostilities, as many as 2,778 Palestinians have been killed.

Media reports have cited official Israeli sources as saying that at least 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel.