Modi's Israel, Palestine visit likely to be delayed

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, Palestine and Jordan is likely to be delayed for some time now. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said since President Pranab Mukherjee is already visiting these countries in October this year, it is unlikely India will schedule two back-to-back high level visits to these nations. Hence, PM’s visit may not take place during this year. 

Mukherjee’s visit is going to be the first big visit to these countries from the Indian side. Even though there have been several visits by Indian cabinet ministers, MPs and senior political leaders there has been no visit by a PM or President to these nations. Sources said that in a balancing act, PM would first visit Islamic countries before travelling to Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Accordingly a visit to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran is being worked out for the PM in the coming months. In between a high level visit from the Israeli and Palestinian side is also being worked out. It is learnt that the Israeli Defence Minister may also visit India a second time. 

Meanwhile, India has managed to soothe the ruffled feathers in Palestine after it had abstained during an United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voting against Israel in Geneva early this month. Sources said Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs, Anil Wadhwa who went to Palestine recently explained authorities in detail India’s position and why it had to abstain. Sources said the Indian delegation in the beginning faced an uncomfortable situation when it went to meet senior officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Palestine. “The Palestinian side was visibly upset,” the source said.

However, things got better when it was conveyed that it is a normal practice for India to abstain when a resolution invokes the International Criminal Court (ICC) like it was done in case of Israel. India had similarly abstained during HRC resolutions having reference to ICC on Syria and North Korea. India is a non-state party and non-signatory to the ICC which was established by the 1998 Rome Statute. India also explained the complex India-Pakistan relationship, the issue of Kashmir and reasons why it stays away from ICC.

It is learnt that in the process India effectively conveyed that by abstaining it was by no way shying away from supporting Palestinian cause and that India would continue to back it. It was also categorically conveyed that there is no change in India’s long standing position on support to the Palestinian cause. 

Though Wadhwa was in Palestine for a pre-scheduled programme to inaugurate Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School for Girls in Asera Al-Shamalyeh, it turned out to be well-timed visit given the event of UNHRC voting. Palestinian had expressed “shock” over India’s abstention and Palestine Ambassador in India Adnan Abu Alhaija even said India’s decision has been affected by its military relationship with Israel and that the decision to abstain from the UN Human Rights Council was a departure from Delhi’s traditional position. Israel had, on the other hand, hailed India’s decision to abstain as a significant and unprecedented achievement amidst reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had personally reached out to PM Modi Modi urging him to abstain in UNHRC voting.