People's Democracy

INDIA, under this Vajpayee government's dispensation, has been continuously cosying up to Israel. The latest visit of Shimon Peres, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has reconfirmed this trend. The cooperation between both the countries, described by both sides as being "natural allies", has deepened in all fields, particularly in defence and intelligence gathering sectors.

Not very long ago, Indian passports had a printed qualification that the holder is not permitted to visit Israel. Those were the days when India's steadfast commitment to non-alignment and to the cause of the Palestinian struggle for their homeland was unequivocal . The Vajpayee government, pursuing its foreign policy of total subservience to US interests and, thus, of its allies, describes this sea change in India's policy as a result of "the changed world situation".

The irony, however, lies in the fact that India is seeking this commonality with Israel in the name of "combatting terrorism". Thus, this Vajpayee government equates our fight against cross-border terrorism with Israel's anti-human denial of the genuine fundamental right of the Palestinian people to their homeland.

For over half a century the Palestinians have been denied this basic right to a homeland by a gigantic international conspiracy and fraud. During this period, Israel has mounted several military aggressions, forcibly occupied Palestinian lands and constantly denied the Palestinians their legitimate rights. It has also resorted to nefarious methods such as settling Israeli jews on Palestinian lands in order to make unjust claims to territories.

In the post-September 11, 2001 world situation, Israel has mounted further vindictive aggression against the Palestinian people, negating even the small gains that the Palestinians achieved under the "peace process’. The state terrorism practised by Israel, forced the Palestinians to launch their second intifada even prior to September 11. In the subsequent period, Israel has militarily cordoned off Palestinian territories and mounted fierce armed attacks killing mounting numbers of innocent Palestinians. This killing continues to date, despite the fact that Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has taken tangible measures against some of the militant groups,. who have now openly declared the cessation of suicide attacks.

With the denial of a homeland for the Palestinians being, thus, executed through a military pogrom, the consequent natural resistance by the Palestinians is what is dubbed by Israel as "terrorism".

The Indian people surely cannot find common cause with such a definition of terrorism. The Vajpayee government, in its eagerness to please its US imperialist masters and their allies, seeks to negate the overwhelming solidarity of the Indian people with the Palestinian cause. Thus this government's policy is a travesty of human liberty, dignity and freedom. Such cosying up to Israel, apart from seriously compromising our defence and security concerns, undermines the principled support and solidarity that India has traditionally extended to the Palestinians in their just struggle for their homeland.

This attempt to negate the wishes of the Indian people must be blocked and the government revert to the principled policy of full support to the just demands of the Palestinian people.