Congress Slams Modi’s Praise for Israeli PM as 'Shocking' and 'Morally Appalling

The Congress party on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "unqualified praise" for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and stated that it was "shameful and morally atrocious". The remarks came after Modi praised the agreement on the first phase of US President Donald Trump's peace plan for West Asia, under which Israel and Hamas have decided to pause fighting in Gaza, PTI reported. 

Modi also asserted that the agreement was a reflection of the strong leadership of Netanyahu. 

Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, highlighted that Modi said nothing on the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. 

"The prime minister has welcomed the new developments regarding Gaza and hailed President Trump. That eagerness to do so is not surprising. But what is shocking, shameful, and morally atrocious is Mr. Modi's unqualified praise for the Israeli PM Mr. Netanyahu -- who has unleashed a genocide in Gaza over the past twenty months," Ramesh said.

"Mr. Modi has also maintained a total silence on the future of an independent, sovereign state of Palestine that was recognised by India way back in November 1988, and that is now recognised by over 150 countries," he added.

The Congress had also slammed Modi last week deeming his complete silence on the "horrific atrocities" in Gaza, calling it "moral cowardice" and "total betrayal" of all that India has stood for.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has earlier stated that India has always been a beacon of moral conscience but "has now shamefully been reduced to a silent spectator". 

"India has always been a beacon of moral conscience and the champion of the post-colonial world, it has now shamefully been reduced to a silent spectator. Our foreign policy has now acquired a moral taint," the CWC resolution said. 

With PTI inputs