Summary of this article
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says Israel is using the ongoing West Asia war as cover to push its "Greater Israel" agenda, including decisive steps toward firm occupation of the West Bank through new land registration.
Ramesh criticises PM Modi for not raising his voice against the move which he says will lead to the dispossession of lakhs of Palestinians.
The statement reiterates Congress's long-standing charge that the Modi government has abandoned the Palestinian cause despite public claims of support.
Senior Congress leader and general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on Saturday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of lacking the courage to oppose Israel's latest actions in the occupied West Bank.
In a detailed post on X, Ramesh asserted that the current West Asia conflict is providing convenient cover for Israel to advance its long-term vision of a "Greater Israel" and effectively end any realistic hope for a viable Palestinian state.
"It has been 28 days since the US-Israel aerial bombings of Iran and Iran's counter-offensive began. In the past four weeks, while the world's gaze has been on the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure in the Gulf countries, Israel has (i) continued its brutalities on the people of Gaza; (ii) begun operations to create a large buffer zone for itself in southern Lebanon; and (iii) taken decisive steps to convert its annexation of the West Bank to firm occupation," Ramesh wrote.
He added: "The current West Asia war is providing cover for Israel to move ahead on its vision of Greater Israel and also finishing off any hope for a Palestinian state."
Ramesh specifically highlighted a decision taken by the Israeli Cabinet just days before Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel last month. The Cabinet approved land registration in roughly half of the occupied West Bank — the first such exercise since 1967. The Congress leader claimed this move would result in the dispossession of lakhs of Palestinians.
"The US-Israel bombardment of Iran began just two days after Mr Modi left Israel. What is not realised is that just a few days before he arrived there, the Israeli Cabinet had approved land registration in roughly half of the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967," Ramesh said.
"This would lead to the dispossession of lakhs of Palestinians. But Mr Modi does not have the courage to raise his voice and speak truth to his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu."
The remarks come amid renewed focus on Israel's policies in the West Bank following reports of accelerated settlement-related measures. According to earlier reports cited in the debate, the Israeli decisions aim to ease property acquisition procedures and repeal certain legal barriers in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli administrative and security control under the Oslo Accords.
The Congress has repeatedly attacked the Modi government's handling of the Israel-Palestine issue, alleging "cynical and hypocritical" posturing. While the government has publicly reiterated India's traditional support for a two-state solution and the Palestinian cause, the Opposition maintains that New Delhi's growing strategic partnership with Israel has come at the cost of moral consistency.
Ramesh and other Congress leaders had strongly opposed Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel last month, arguing that it took place even as Israeli forces continued attacks on civilians in Gaza. They described the visit as an example of "moral cowardice" at a time when much of the international community has been critical of Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
