NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday took a swipe at the government over India reportedly joining "late" the list of countries criticising Israel for its unilateral measures on the West Bank, saying this is "sheer hypocrisy" and "cynicism" since Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be soon going to Israel.
India reportedly added its name to the list of countries criticising Israel for its unilateral measures on the West Bank. India had not joined the original group of 85 countries that announced the statement on February 17, 2026.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "On Tuesday, Feb 17th 2025, 85 countries issued a collective statement at the UN deeply critical of Israel’s continuing unilateral actions that are displacing and dispossessing thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank."
India was not among these 85 countries, even though it was amongst the earliest to recognise the state of Palestine on November 18, 1988, he said.
"It took India 24 hours to join this list of 85 countries. This is sheer hypocrisy and cynicism since the PM will be going to Israel early next week. If he is really serious -- which of course he is not -- he should call out his good friend Mr. Netanyahu, and publicly express India's grave concern at what Israel is executing in the occupied West Bank," Ramesh said.
Modi will travel to Israel on a two-day visit from February 25, sources said.
The Congress had earlier this week taken a swipe at the Centre after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first broke news of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel, saying India is hearing about its own government’s actions from foreign leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first broke news of Modi's visit while addressing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations on February 15. "Parliament address on the anvil. Who's coming here next week? Narendra Modi," Netanyahu told the gathering.
In a post on X, Ramesh had said, “India hears of the halt to Operation Sindoor first from the US Secretary of State. India hears of the India-US trade deal first from the US President."
“Just now India has heard of Prime Minister Modi’s dates for his visit to Israel first from Mr. Netanyahu - who has reduced Gaza to rubble and dust and is now dispossessing and displacing more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,” the Congress leader had said.