The stance taken by the Government of India is the most principled stance in the current ongoing circumstances.
by N.S.Venkataraman
Ever since Hamas launched a war against Israel, killing hundreds of innocent Israeli citizens and catching the Israeli government by surprise, many ardent supporters of Hamas and the Palestinian cause have vociferously backed Hamas’s actions.
While Hamas openly declared its objective was to destroy Israel as a country, erase it from the world map, and, in the process, force Jews back to the stateless condition they faced during Hitler’s time. For Israel, it was a fight for survival, with its back against the wall. Israel responded to the attack because it had no alternative but to fight for its survival as a nation.
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What should be noted here is that Hamas and its supporters aim to destroy Israel once and for all, while Israel has been seeking an amicable settlement with its neighbors through a give-and-take policy, without sacrificing its territorial integrity. Recent near-successful efforts by Israel to reach out to nearby countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE clearly highlight the fact that Israel desires peace on its borders, not war and tension. Obviously, Israel would have accepted the legitimacy of a Palestinian state if the climate of peace it seeks could be achieved. It should be recognized that the goals of Hamas and its supporters and those of Israel are different and miles apart.
In such a situation, it is necessary to recognize that the group of people who launched a violent war and adopted violent means to achieve their ends should be considered as terrorists. In the inevitable event of a region or a country trying to protect itself from terrorist attacks, public support and sympathy should be in favor of those who defend themselves rather than those who offend by initiating war or offensive methods.
The stance taken by the Government of India is the most principled stance in the current ongoing circumstances. The Government of India expressed its support for Israel as it was a victim of war and violence, not the initiator of war and violence. At the same time, the Government of India extended sympathy and support to the people living in the Hamas region who suffer due to counterattacks by Israel. Obviously, the people living in Hamas would have preferred peaceful conditions over war-like conditions, and they seem to be forced to suffer against their will.
Those who support the actions of Hamas and condemn Israel do not live in the Hamas area but elsewhere in the world. They advocate for Israel’s destruction and organize demonstrations and protests.
Finally, it should be noted that while the supporters of Hamas make a lot of noise and sound and fury, there are a large number of silent people who understand the plight of Israel, which has also lost its valuable citizens. They recognize that Israel has no alternative but to fight back to survive as a nation.
“In such a scenario, the resolution adopted by the UNO, which appears to virtually blame Israel and leaves the actions of Hamas without any specific observations, appears to be one-sided and unfair.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that the war against terrorism should not be viewed from a religious standpoint, as terrorism is a double-edged sword. It is in everybody’s interest to put an end to such terrorist acts once and for all in the world.
N. S. Venkataraman is a trustee with the "Nandini Voice for the Deprived," a not-for-profit organization that aims to highlight the problems of downtrodden and deprived people and support their cause and to promote probity and ethical values in private and public life and to deliberate on socio-economic issues in a dispassionate and objective manner.
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