To a large number of Indians who want to see the country emerge as a “tough nation”, Israel is a ready role model. This is a country that has survived in the teeth of constant hostility, winning several wars against a united Arab force; and, as the legend goes, never gives in to hostage-takers, kidnappers and those who try and use ‘terror’ as a tool to marginalise it. Added to all this are accounts of its commando rescue operations in bestsellers like 90 minutes in Entebbe and incidents like that in Srinagar in June 1991, where five of six Israeli tourists escaped after managing to overpower their Kashmiri captors. Such events have bolstered its macho image and deepened Indians’ admiration.