Congress governments behind strong India-Israel ties, says Manish Tewari
NEW DELHI: Dismissing BJP’s jibes over Congress’s stand on the West Asia conflict, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari asserted that it was previous Congress governments that initiated and formalised full diplomatic relations with Israel since 1988.
Speaking to this newspaper, the Lok Sabha MP said the initial contact with Israel was established during former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure in 1988-89. “And the process was formalised on the 26th of January 1992,” he added.
Israel came into existence in 1948. India did not establish diplomatic relations with the country until 1992 though it had recognized Israel in 1950. Amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, the BJP has been attacking Congress over the party’s Working Committee resolution extending support for the ‘rights of the Palestinian people’ without mentioning Hamas’s attack on Israel. The raging war has killed scores of civilians and displaced thousands on both sides.
Referring to the ruling BJP’s jibes, Tewari said that the Congress can take the credit on the full diplomatic relations with Israel, while sticking to the commitment of a two state solution. “I saw the critical comments of a minister of this government. It is either complete ignorance or then worse, blindsided arrogance.
Though the process was started by Rajiv Gandhi in 1988, full diplomatic relations with Israel was established in January 1992, while remaining steadfast on our commitment to the two state solution. We are the people who actually not only opened up the channel with Israel, but also formalised and restored full diplomatic relations,” he said. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee adhered to India’s principled position of supporting the Palestinian cause, he said.