By: Deepankar Kamboj
deepankaronline@indiatimes.com
October 08, 2003

It is not merely a coincidence that the names of India & Israel start from the same alphabet ‘I’. As a character from a Hollywood flick utters ”I do not believe in coincidence. I believe in destiny. I believe in fate.” This very statement is true for both these nations also. Both of them started their march as modern democracies in the late forties, almost simultaneously. Hindus & Jews, the ancient & real inhabitants of the two countries have suffered for than one thousand years from the hands of different ethnicities. They have weathered all the attacks & brutalities and have emerged stronger & better. Even today, both of them are the targets of Islamic terrorism; however, they are determined to crush the menace for once & forever.

India, who forged the formal diplomatic relations with Israel as late as in 1992 must completely rethink her middle-east policy. While we should maintain our support to the Palestinian cause, we should not go overboard in expressing it. People (read Marxists & Muslim organizations) who were protesting against Ariel Sheron’s visit, accusing him of murdering innocent Palestinians, perhaps, forgot about the innocent Indians who are killed on the daily basis by the Pakistan supported terrorists. If not, then why didn’t they demonstrate during Agra summit against Pervez Musharraf who was chief architect of Kargil episode? And why don’t they utter a word against Yaser Arafat who has failed to reign in Hamas? No, they won’t because they are more worried about appeasing Indian Muslims than national interests & security.

Considering the history & current international scenario, India & Israel are natural allies. As I have said already that both nations are home to civilizations suffering hostilities for thousands of years. We should not forget that Israel supported us during the wars of 1962 & 1965 when Arab nations (whom we have been appeasing for decades) practiced silence as their policy. In the same vein, gulf countries have never supported us on the Kashmir issue with the exceptions of Iran & Iraq. However, as far as the issue of oil is concerned, Arab nations have said that they are not going to move any resolution against India in Organization of Islamic Countries. Talking of current scenario global terrorism, having its roots in Islamic fundamentalism, is dominating the world map today targeting particularly India & Israel.

Someone said very aptly” It’s never too late to revise in life or fiction.” So it’s very high time that India should cement close friendship with Israel in defense, economic & other realms so that both of these democracies can progress in leaps & bounds.

Deepankar Kamboj