Truly principled stand

Sir, – It was enlightening for me, as a former Indian, to read Arvind Gupta’s article “IndiaIsrael relations: A mutually beneficial relationship” ( Comment & Features, January 9). What was well known for somebody like me, who has kept abreast of the blossoming relationship, has now been stacked with facts and figures regarding trade, tourism, research cooperation, etc.

I would like to take issue, though, with what Gupta calls “India’s principled stand on the Palestinian issue.”

As a youngster growing up in India I was always taken aback by the rabid anti-israel, pro-arab stand taken by successive Congress governments at all international forums, including the UN. It seemed to me farcical that a movie like Exodus should be banned in India for fear of “hurting” Arab sentiment. As a leader of the “Non-aligned” group of nations, it appeared nonsensical to me that India should outdo even Arab countries in its anti-israel sentiments and voting patterns on the international stage.

Israel of course understands the true reasons for the Indian approach – the country’s large Muslim population, its much larger trade with the Arab bloc, its dependence on Iranian oil and so on. In fact, India’s former defense minister, George Fernandes, on his visit here several years ago aptly pointed out that India and Israel were “two islands of democracy in a sea of Islam.”

Israel has had more than its fair share of Islamic fundamentalist terror. India is no stranger to such terror, either. Isn’t it about time that India adopts a truly principled stand that would inevitably mean a drastic U-turn when it comes to support of the Palestinians and their sponsors, the Iranians and the Saudis? That may be political suicide, but at the very least one would expect the adoption of a neutral, non-aligned stance.

A nation that produced a Gautama Buddha and a Mahatma Gandhi should refuse to side with a culture that glorifies terror and encourages children to become suicide bombers and wantonly kill innocent women and children so as to be able to consort with virgins in nirvana. KEENAN JOSEPH

Jerusalem