By Shiv Bhagwan Saharan
The current conflict began on October 7, 2023, with a coordinated surprise rocket strike on Israel’s southern and central region from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The strike commenced with a barrage of over 4,000 rockets launched by Hamas fighters. Simultaneously, Hamas fighters had breached Israel’s fenced border with the Gaza Strip, attacking military bases and taking hostage mostly civilians, including women, children, the elderly, and foreigners. With an Israeli ground assault imminent, the fate of these hostages, held at multiple locations in Gaza, remains unknown in neighbouring southern Israeli communities.
Hamas has been explicit about its goal to counteract the establishment of new or recent settlements. And, the continuous and assertive encroachment by Israeli settlers, overlooked by Israeli authorities and tacitly accepted by the global community, is viewed as a major factor contributing to the desperate actions taken by Hamas. Likewise, Hamas has been frustrated by Israel, which is continuously normalising ties with the so-called Moderate Arab States. Hamas wanted to bring the ignored ‘Palestinian cause’ back into the spotlight. Here, the critical point is not to determine who is more justified or at fault in the conflict.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted precisely 14 months after the ceasefire that concluded the short-lived skirmish between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) on August 7, 2022. Also, the current conflict is unprecedented since the founding of the State of Israel in May 1948. This distinction is due to Hamas’s ability to orchestrate a sudden rocket strike, overcoming some of the world’s most advanced border security systems, intelligence networks, and surveillance capabilities.
The Hamas codenamed the ongoing military operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ as a response to the perceived desecration of the holy site. This operation, like the one initiating the Yom Kippur or Ramadan War almost precisely 50 years ago on October 6, 1973, was conducted as a surprise, mirroring the historical event where combined Arab forces, led by Egypt and Syria, launched a military campaign in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights—both captured by Israel during the June 1967 War. Symbolically, Hamas sought to convey to Israelis and the international community that Jerusalem must remain undivided. Moreover, Hamas is the largest Palestinian Militant Islamist group and one of the two major political parties in the Gaza Strip.
In response to Hamas attacks, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operation known as ‘Iron Swords’ swiftly retaliated by launching targeted airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a televised address that Israel was “at war” and vowed that Hamas, which rules Gaza, would “pay an unprecedented price” for their aggression. Additionally, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 6,000 people.
Furthermore, just hours after the Hamas military strike against Israel encroachment, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted his support for Israel on X (formerly Twitter): “We stand in solidarity with Israel during this difficult hour. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families.” Although, Modi’s tweet, demonstrating solidarity with Israel, is not unexpected. Modi’s unwavering backing of Israel may have earned him favour among Israeli hardliners and Western nations, which have grappled with India’s neutrality in the Ukraine crisis.
Five days later, New Delhi reaffirmed its traditional stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict in the official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Our policy in this regard has been long-standing and consistent. India has also always advocated the resumption of ‘direct negotiations’ toward establishing a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side by side in peace with Israel.” Correspondingly, India has launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to evacuate Indian citizens from conflict zones, and it has sent several chartered flights to bring back Indian nationals. There are approximately 18,000 Indians in Israel, around 16 in Palestine, a dozen in the West Bank, and 3-4 people in Gaza.
Historically, this conflict represents the most distressing episode in the enduring and bitter conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has persisted since 1948. Despite New Delhi’s formal recognition of the State of Israel in 1950, however, India and Israel did not establish diplomatic relations until early 1992. India maintained a strong pro-Palestine stance during this interim period in the Israel-Palestine conflict. New Delhi was leading in garnering international support for the Palestinian national cause. In a pivotal move, India became the first non-Arab nation to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in 1974.
Moreover, India was among the early adopters in recognizing the State of Palestine in 1988. India frequently cited its commitment to oppressed communities as the foundation of its solidarity with the Palestinian people. However, this policy was also influenced by strategic tactics. New Delhi sought to maintain amicable relations with the Arab world due to its reliance on Gulf oil. Also, India’s strategic relations depend on the ruling party in the Centre, which has long supported Palestine, but today, it is extending its support to Israel.
With changing global dynamics marked by the end of the Cold War, mounting domestic terrorism concerns, and an emerging interest in Israeli defense technology, India decided to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. In the ensuing decades, the India-Israel relationship has flourished. In 2017, Narendra Modi made history as the first Indian Prime Minister to embark on a diplomatic visit to the State of Israel. Also, Modi’s visit strengthened their defence and strategic partnerships. The two nations now actively collaborate in the realms of counterterrorism and intelligence sharing, and India annually acquires Israeli military equipment valued at over $1 billion. Additionally, Israel supported India in the Kargil War by providing arms and ammunition in 1999.
While India has reaped significant benefits from its strategic partnership with Israel, such as the integration of Israeli surveillance technology in monitoring India’s borders, particularly in Kashmir, its ties with Tel Aviv have led to a tempering of its support for the Palestinian cause. Prior to forging formal relations with Israel, India stood unwaveringly alongside the Palestinians, offering unequivocal solidarity, and condemning Israeli occupation. This conflict underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics and the enduring, bitter nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to impact the region and the world.
The author is a Doctoral Candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. @ShivBhagwan_JNU
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